Nepal's controversial chief election commissioner quits

South Asia News

Nepal's controversial chief election commissioner quits

Kathmandu, July 9 (IANS) Caught between parliament that started proceedings for his impeachment and a high-level commission that summoned him for questioning, Nepal's Chief Election Commissioner Keshav Raj Rajbhandari, who faced criticism for holding elections under King Gyanendra's absolute rule, quit his job Sunday.

Rajbhandari has been accused of helping the king continue his authoritarian rule by holding the municipal elections in February, even though they were boycotted by Nepal's major parties and triggered fresh violence by the Maoist guerrillas.

The international community too condemned the February polls as a farce and after the king's reign ended three months ago, the new government declared the exercise invalid. Though on the verge of bankruptcy, the royal regime spent Nepali Rs.280 million on the elections that saw the seats bagged by two splinter parties headed by royalist ministers and independent candidates propped by the palace.

Several posts went uncontested due to the absence of contestants while a large number of winners hastily resigned after receiving threats from the Maoists.

However, despite the low turnout of voters and the farcical aftermath, under Rajbhandari the Election Commission was readying to hold general elections by April 2007 and legitimise King Gyanendra's power grab last year through a bloodless coup.

After the king was forced to step down in April following nationwide protests against his 15-month authoritarian rule, Nepal's reinstated parliament began clamouring for Rajbhandari's resignation.

When he refused to heed the demand, MPs last week began collecting signatures to impeach the official and were scheduled to start the motion in parliament Sunday.

On the same day, Rajbhandari was summoned for questioning by the Rayamajhi Commission headed by former Supreme Court judge Krishna Jung Rayamajhi, formed to bring to justice the officials responsible for suppressing the anti-king protests.

Before arriving at the commission, Rajbhandari submitted his resignation to the Prime Minister's Office.

After the king's ouster, several officials appointed during the king's rule resigned promptly. They included the attorney general, members of the Planning Commission and Women's Commission.

Besides Rajbhandari, parliamentarians were also proceeding to impeach the chief and members of the National Human Rights Commission.

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Nepal's controversial chief election commissioner quits