Oli Warns Against Two-Phase Elections, Calls for State Neutrality and Immediate Vote Counting

Former prime minister and chairperson of Nepal Communist Party (UML), KP Sharma Oli, has cautioned that holding parliamentary elections in two phases could weaken public trust in the electoral process if state institutions fail to act impartially.

Speaking during an interaction with residents in Jhapa, Oli said that if conditions are being created to justify staggered polling, the government should instead consider postponing the election and conduct it in a single phase. He argued that logistical explanations, including snowfall in mountainous regions, should not be used as grounds for dividing the election schedule.

Oli emphasized that preventing electoral malpractice requires strict transparency at every stage of voting and counting. He stressed that ballot boxes must never be out of sight of candidates or their authorized representatives, even briefly, and that votes should be counted immediately after polling in the presence of party observers.

According to him, the credibility of elections depends on the neutrality of all state bodies involved in the process. He warned that if the state appears to favor or disadvantage any political force, the election would lose its legitimacy and could lead to serious national consequences.

Rejecting any suggestion that such remarks amount to complaints, Oli framed them as a clear warning based on past experience. He reiterated that the UML is not merely a party formed to contest elections but one established with the objective of building the nation, adding that resistance would follow if electoral fairness is compromised.

The party, he said, has formally urged the state to ensure a peaceful, transparent, and fraud-free electoral environment.