Nepal gears up for local body polls on May 13; to close international borders

Nepal is all set to conduct local body elections across the country from May 13, with the Election Commission (EC) asking the government to make necessary arrangements, including shutting all international border crossings from May 10 and prohibiting the sale of liquor to ensure a ''free, fair, and fearless environment'' for voting.

Nepal, a landlocked country, shares boundaries with countries with India and China.

This is the second local body election in the Himalayan nation under the new Constitution.

According to the Election Commission, there will be a 48-hour ban on international border crossings before and on the day of polling.

''The border transit points are to remain shut until polling is over so as to complete the administrative work of the local-level election scheduled for May 13 in a free, fair, and fearless environment,'' the Commission said.

''A meeting of the Election Commission office-bearers held on Thursday decided to dispatch a letter to the Ministry of Home Affairs to shut the international border points from the midnight of May 10 and halt all domestic traffic on the polling day,'' EC spokesperson Shaligram Sharma Poudel said.

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