EC returning Rs three billion out of election budget

The Election Commission (EC) has said of the total amount allocated for holding elections to the member of the House of Representatives and Province Assembly, around Rs three billion would be sent back to the State coffers. During a press briefing in regard with the review of the November 20 elections, Chief Election Commissioner Dinesh Kumar Thapaliya said the Commission was much aware for the budget austerity and transparency during the election expenditures and so far it costs Rs 6.54 billion. It had received the budget of Rs 8.49 billion out of the allocations of Rs 10 billion. Similarly, some budget will be used in the elections of the President, Vice-President and the NA member by-elections and the remaining returned to State coffers. He took time to pledge legal amendments for providing temporary voting card to government and private sector employees to ensure their election rights towards the proportional electoral system within from the centers accessible for them in the next periodic elections. He was of the opinion of legally defining the matter of implementing the electrical voting system. Thapaliya also assured that the EC would assess nature of invalid votes and situation behind it and make the voter education more effective in the days to come. He said if the date of elections of all levels or the term of people’s representatives are clearly specified in the law, there would be no questions while announcing the election dates.