India to help Nepal manage polls

Nepal is yet to decide on the type of electoral process it will adopt in its new constitution, but the country inked a deal with India on Tuesday to promote cooperation in electoral management. Utpal Parashar reports.

Updated on: Jun 8, 2011, 01:52:39 IST

Hindustan Times | By Utpal Parashar, Kathmandu

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Nepal is yet to decide on the type of electoral process it will adopt in its new constitution, but the country inked a deal with India on Tuesday to promote cooperation in electoral management. A MoU in this regard was signed by Chief Election Commissioner of India Dr SY Quraishi and his Nepali counterpart Neel Kantha Uprety.

The former is on a visit to Nepal on Uprety’s invitation.

“We have been sharing our experiences over the years but the MoU was to formalize cooperation in electoral management and administration,” said Quraishi after signing the agreement.

The MoU will deal with promotion of initiatives designed to strengthen electoral systems and democratic institutions and exchange of organisational knowledge and technical development.

Both countries will exchange information, material, expertise and technical knowhow relating to electoral processes and systems besides training of personnel and human resource development.

Dissemination of materials pertaining to electoral systems, voting technology and voter education and awareness are some other issues covered by the agreement. Quraishi who delivered a talk later on elections in India, however, refrained from suggesting what model of electoral system Nepal should adopt in its new constitution that is being drafted.

India had provided electronic voting machines as part of a pilot project in Kathmandu Valley during the 2008 election to the Constituent Assembly and also in the by-elections held a year later.

Nepal would go for another election after drafting of the constitution and the help and expertise provided by India as part of the MoU would be important in conducting it in a free and fair manner.

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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