Kathmandu, Aug 19: The Election Commission of Nepal (ECN) has prepared a draft for five-year strategic plans (fiscal year 2019/20-2023/24) with an objective of holding free, fair, credible and frugal election.
According to the ECN Spokesperson Shankar Prasad Kharel, the draft of the strategic plan was prepared in view of obtaining strategic plans, goals, objectives such as establishing autonomous, capable and strong agency and holding by-elections in a professional, transparent and credible manner.
The strategic plan includes vote counting in the polling station and the State providing grant to the political parties for which the ECN has estimated over Rs 8 million of budget.
The strategic plan also envisages incorporating technology in the electoral process, reforms in legal and policy-level, monitoring the political parties as per the constitution and laws, enhancing collaboration and cooperation for election and civic education.
As many as 40 action-plans and 56 activities have been identified to obtain the strategic goals and plans, according to the ECN.
It is believed that the new strategic plan would ensure technology-friendly, inclusive and gender-friendly electoral activities besides restricting the ECN as per the federal set-up.
Through the implementation of new strategic plans, the ECN would also streamline its data archival through the integrated electoral data storage system apart from formulating integrated election laws, resolving election-related disputes timely and strictly enforcing the election code of conduct among others.
The ECN has urged all the stakeholders for their suggestions and feedbacks on the draft on the new strategic plans.
