Nepal cabinet decides to hold local level election on May 13

Kathmandu [Nepal], February 7 : A Cabinet meeting of the Government of Nepal on Monday has decided to hold the local level elections on May 13 this year, a sitting Minister confirmed ANI.
The Cabinet meeting held in Administrative Center Singha Durbar this afternoon finalized the date for election preponing it by a week as suggested by the Election Commission.
"Today's meeting has decided to hold the local level election on May 13 in a single phase. A formal announcement will be made by the Spokesperson of the government," a sitting Minister seeking anonymity present in the meeting told ANI over the phone.
Earlier, the Election Commission (EC) had recommended the government to announce the date of local elections on May 18 this year.
At the end of January this year, the meeting of the ruling coalition had decided to hold the local polls by mid-June. Office bearers during the meeting also informed the Prime Minister that there is no need to amend the election-related laws if the local level elections are held before May 19.
The government had earlier held consultations with constitutional and legal experts in order to remove the ambiguities related to local elections in the constitution and the Act.
The Election Commission has also stated that it may need Nepalese Rs 12 billion to conduct the local polls in a single phase. The commission has said the previous local polls held in three phases had cost Rs 8 billion and two million voters have increased in the past five years.