EU deploys observers in Nepal ahead of Nov 19 polls

The European Union will deploy 34 long-term election observers across Nepal to monitor the poll process for the November 19 Constituent Assembly elections.

The mission, led by chief observer Eva Joly, a member of the European Parliament, will send its observers to different districts in the country from tomorrow, mission press officer Eberhard Laue said.

The observers, who have undergone three-day comprehensive briefing here, will meet with with election officials, candidates, political activists, representatives of civil society, mediapersons and security personnel over the next few weeks, and will report their observations back to Kathmandu, he said.

Shortly before the election, a group of around 40 short-term observers, together with a delegation of members of the European Parliament and locally-recruited short-term observers from EU member states, will join the mission in order to observe voting, counting and the tabulation of results.

Altogether there will be over 100 observers from 26 member states as well as Norway and Sweden, says a press release issued by EU Mission in Nepal.

"The EU election observers are bound by a strict code of conduct that ensures their neutrality and impartiality," the mission says in the press release.

"We have been invited by the government of Nepal to help the electoral process," says Tania Marques, Deputy Leader of the mission.

"We are here to help election process, and promote democracy and human rights," she said, adding EU is very much committed to help promote peace, stability and democracy in Nepal.