Koirala urges to strengthen security for polls

Kathmandu, Sep 1: Nepal Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala has urged the security agencies to bolster the security situation across the country for holding the Constituent Assembly elections on November 22 this year.

Speaking at an orientation programme organised by Home Ministry at the Armed Police Headquarters here, Mr Koirala directed the security agencies to actively ''bolster the security situation for free and fair elections''.

Constituent Assembly elections should be held on November 22 to improve Nepal's image in the international arena, he said.

The elections, which were scheduled to be held in June, were postponed due to security reasons and lack of adequate preparation.

Mr Koirala also appealed to all the political parties, organisations and civil society to become responsible for holding the election on time.

The Government had signed an agreement with Madheshi Peoples' Forum, one of the major factions of Terai, demanding more rights and reservations for people there, who were suppressed during the autocratic regimes in the past and indigenous people of the hills.

The constituent election which has been the major demands of the Maoists, would decide the future of monarchy and write a new constitution by the elected representatives for the first time in the history of the Himalayan nation.

UNI