November 3, Kathmandu. During the election, the leaders and candidates of some events allege that poll packing containers are exchanged. Voters additionally doubt whether or not the poll packing containers can be exchanged.
We have requested the officers of the Election Commission about this sort of commentary that raises questions in regards to the equity and cleanliness of the election.
Surya Prasad Aryal, Assistant Spokesperson of the Election Commission, stated that varied safety and reliability measures can be adopted from earlier than the voting to the counting of votes. According to him, even when all of the mechanisms are in his favor, it isn’t doable to alternate poll packing containers and alter votes.
He stated that earlier than doubting whether or not the poll field can be exchanged, one ought to know the poll field, its safety and the process earlier than beginning voting. According to Aryal, who can also be the deputy secretary of the fee, there are two layers within the poll field. One large field could be opened completely, whereas the opposite field has a small gap inside, from there the voters can drop their sealed vote, however it’s made in such a manner that it can’t be taken out. Four seals could be utilized to the big i.e. fundamental birk. Another seal can be positioned on the small gap for inserting the poll paper.
According to the electoral process, earlier than voting, the polling officer will take the representatives of all of the events with him so far as doable, in order that if one thing was put within the poll field earlier than, it would fall and it’s made certain that it’s empty. Then the birko is utilized and 4 seals are utilized to the birko.
The seal utilized by the Election Commission on the poll field is fabricated from plastic. After sealing it, it tightens however can’t be loosened. To break the seal, the outer a part of the seal must be lower and damaged with scissors. Every seal has a serial quantity and no serial variety of any seal is repeated. The consultant of the get together should signal the bond after affixing the seal. In that order, the serial variety of the seal can also be written on the promissory be aware. If they need, they’ll take a photograph of Muchulka and take it away.
During the entire day of voting from 7 am, the principle door of the poll field is sealed and solely the outlet for dropping the poll from above is open, the poll can’t be taken out from there. After the voting is over at 5 pm, the polling officer calls the representatives of all of the events. In their direct presence, the polling officer additionally places one other small seal on the outlet for dropping the vote within the poll field and seals it. After the poll field is totally sealed, it stays within the custody of the safety personnel and the polling officer.
From the polling station, they go to the election officer’s workplace and hand over the sealed poll field and voucher. The representatives of the get together suspect that when the poll packing containers are taken from the polling place to the election officer’s workplace, there can be fraud and the poll packing containers can be exchanged.
As far as doable, the Commission says to make arrangements to take the representatives of the events together with the poll packing containers. In locations the place it isn’t commercially doable and the place there are lots of candidates, there may be an association for the get together representatives to come back in one other automobile together with the automobile with the poll field. The fee has instructed to take the get together representatives together with them so far as doable even when transporting poll packing containers by helicopter even in distant areas.
After handing over the poll packing containers to the election officer, the polling officer collects them in a single place. If the poll field is to be saved in a single day, all of the home windows and openings of the room are closed and the door is sealed. It is customary for the consultant of the get together who doesn’t consider in that to sit down or sleep exterior the door subsequent to the safety personnel.
Counting will begin solely after the poll packing containers are collected. In that order, earlier than breaking the seal of the poll field, the quantity written on the primary slip and the serial quantity on the seal are counted. After that, the get together representatives take out the ballots from the poll packing containers in Rohwar and the work of counting begins. For reliability and privateness, it’s typically customary to rely ballots from greater than two polling stations.
According to Deputy Secretary Aryal, it isn’t doable to vary the poll field as a consequence of different security measures and signature of the polling officer. A particular safety signal is positioned in the course of the poll paper, which isn’t identified to even a 3rd particular person besides two officers of the Election Commission.