PM Oli advises EU EOM to revise its poll observation report

KATHMANDU, March 25: Prime Minister K P Sharma Oli on Sunday has advised the European Union Election Observation Mission (EU EOM) in Nepal to revise the report it published last week.

The EU EOM, in its final report on November 26 and December 7 election, accused the Election Commission of lacking transparency in its work. The report also opposed the         quota system for Khas-Arya and recommends reviewing the impact of the quota system on the ethnic composition of the House of Representatives and Provincial Assemblies and ensuring that measures of affirmative action apply only to groups that are the subject of negative discrimination.

The EU EOM report drew flaks from various quarters. The Election Commission said it ‘totally rejects’ the poll observation report and termed the report as “misleading”, “baseless” and “in contravention of the international poll observation code of conduct”. The EC also accused the EU EOM of preparing the report violating the 12 points of Election Observation Code of Conduct.

A day later, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) also slammed the report stating that the recommendations and comments made by the EU EOM are a direct challenge to the provisions of the Constitution of Nepal which was promulgated, in line with the inclusive policy reflective of Nepali social structure, by the sovereign decision of Nepali people.

Prime Minister Oli’s statement comes after the MoFA drew attention of the European Union toward the poll observation report.

Oli expressed objection over the poll observation report prepared by the EU EOM and warned the EU EOM not to undermine Nepal’s sovereignty. Referring to EU EOM’s election observation report at a launching ceremony to present the final report of the observation mission, 2017 Elections to the House of Representatives and Province Assembles organized by the National Election Observation Committee, he said, “Nepal’s Constitution is one of the best constitutions in the world. Nepali people feel that the report has disrespected the Nepali people and Nepal’s sovereignty. As a Prime Minister of a sovereign nation, I request the EU to revise the report.

However, the EU EOM has claimed that it prepared the report on fully abided by its terms of reference and the Memorandum of Understanding signed with the authorities of Nepal. It has maintained that the report is based on international and regional commitments for democratic elections and the suggested recommendations were widely consulted and discussed.