Voters Refuse to Take Part in Election Over Settlement Issue in Dang

Voting has yet to begin at two polling stations in Dang district, western Nepal, more than three hours after polls officially opened for the House of Representatives election.

According to election officials, no ballots had been cast at the polling centers located at Janata Basic School in Babai Rural Municipality–1 and Deuti Secondary School in Tallomalai Khola, Babai–7.

Chiranjivi Khadka, the polling officer at the Janata Basic School voting center, said election staff had completed all preparations and were ready to conduct voting, but no voters had arrived.

The polling center has a total of 682 registered voters.

Similarly, Tek Bahadur KC, the polling officer at the Deuti Secondary School polling station, confirmed that voting had not started there either due to the absence of voters.

Local residents living in the buffer zone of Banke National Park within Babai Rural Municipality wards 1 and 7 have been protesting for the relocation of their settlements.

As part of their protest, they have maintained a stance of boycotting the election.

Chief District Officer Bishwaprakash Aryal said authorities are trying to encourage residents to participate in the election, but so far they have not joined the voting process.

Due to the ongoing protest by communities affected by Banke National Park in the Dang buffer zone, both polling centers remain deserted and no votes have been cast so far.