India gifts over 700 vehicles to assist 'fair' polls in Nepal

India reiterated its support to next week's constituent assembly poll in Nepal by handing over 716 vehicles on Wednesday "to assist in conducting free and fair election".

Updated on: Nov 14, 2013, 01:03:54 IST

Hindustan Times | By Utpal Parashar, Kathmandu

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India reiterated its support to next week's constituent assembly poll in Nepal by handing over 716 vehicles on Wednesday "to assist in conducting free and fair election".

The vehicles of different types were handed over by Indian ambassador Ranjit Rae to Nepal's home minister Madhav Prasad Ghimire at a function held at Singha Durbar, the seat of Nepal government.

In his statement, Rae reiterated India's support for successful conduct of free and fair elections. Another 48 vehicles will be donated to the election commission at a separate function held on Thursday.

Nepal, which goes to polls on November 19, had earlier sought 1,000 vehicles from the southern neighbour in order to hold the country's second constituent assembly election effectively.

India agreed to provide 716 vehicles to security agencies and another 48 to the election commission at a cost of R50 crore during External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid's Kathmandu visit in July.

India had provided 500 vehicles to Nepal during the previous constituent assembly polls in 2008. The country will elect a new constituent assembly as the earlier one failed to draft a constitution.

Despite opposition to the polls by a prominent Maoist party and several other smaller players, India, China and the international community have backed the election as a must to end political instability in Nepal.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Utpal Parashar
A seasoned senior journalist, I have nearly three decades of experience across print, digital, and online platforms, covering political transitions, insurgencies, environmental issues, and development stories in India and Nepal. I am skilled in breaking news, leading editorial teams and launch of newspaper editions. I am adept at leveraging digital trends and social media to expand global reach, with a strong ethical foundation and a reputation for impactful journalism. An alumnus of Asian College of Journalism, I joined Hindustan Times in New Delhi as a trainee reporter in May 1997. Over the years, I have been posted in Dehradun, Kathmandu (Nepal) and Guwahati. Currently, as Senior Assistant Editor at Hindustan Times, I lead a team reporting on India’s northeastern states. My work involves in-depth analysis, and engaging multimedia storytelling across formats, including text, photo, video, and interactive content. I am skilled in producing timely, shareable content, leveraging digital platforms and social media to engage global audiences. Throughout my career with the Hindustan Times, I have led diverse editorial teams, designed capacity-building activities, and supported reporters in developing strong story ideas, ethical reporting practices, digital skills, and fact-checking techniques. As Senior Assistant Editor for Northeast India, I have been responsible for guiding correspondents through complex political, humanitarian, and community-level stories using multimedia formats. Earlier, as Foreign Correspondent in Nepal, I produced extensive reporting during Nepal’s democratic transition and the 2015 earthquake and its aftermath.Read More

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