The Election Commission (EC) on Thursday said that it might take at least two months to print the ballot papers for the local elections if additional printing machines are not arranged for Janak Sikshya Samagri Kendra (JSSK). After holding consultations with the officials of JSSK and Education Secretary Shanta Kumar Shrestha, is also the chairperson of JSSK, the Election Commission has reached to the conclusion that printing of ballot papers will not get accomplished in less than two months. It has also stressed the need of seeking alternatives for printing the ballot papers in time. “Printing ballot papers will not be easy unless we purchase new machines or seek alternatives to expedite the ballot printing process,” said Election Commissioner Ila Sharma.
Till date, the state-run JSSK is printing ballot papers for the Election Commission. Currently, the JSSK has three machines and the election body believes that printing the ballot papers may take two months unless additional printing machines are arranged for it.
Printing ballot papers, according to Sharma, will take time as a large number of parties are registered with the commission. Currently, 110 parties are registered with the election body and it believes that the ballot papers will be larger than three feet even if 50 parties contest in the elections.
Full Article: My Republica – Printing ballot papers for local elections may take two months: EC.