Ready to amend Nepal election laws: Regmi

Nepal's interim government today said it is willing to amend election laws by incorporating suggestions from political parties to sort out their differences regarding election procedures.
The government is ready to amend election laws by incorporating suggestions made by various political parties in order to allow the agitating parties to take part in the forthcoming elections, Chairman of the Interim Election Council (IEC) Regmi said after a meeting with leaders of the four major political parties.
Two dozen fringe parties including CPN-Maoist, breakaway faction of UCPN-Maoist, have been on a 10-day protest against formation of the Interim Election Government led by Chief Justice Khil Raj Regmi and the government's announcement of the date for fresh elections to the Constituent Assembly.

UCPN-Maoist Chairman Dahal, Chairman of CPN-UML Jhalanath Khanal, Nepali Congress senior leader Sher Bahadur Deuba, NC Vice-president Ram Chandra Paudel, and Chairman of the Madhesi Janadhikar Forum-Republican Raj Kishor Yadav were present at the meeting.
Parties holding discussion with the government were sharply divided on whether to allow those convicted of criminal charges to contest the elections, provision that requires candidates to secure at least one per cent of the total votes to be eligible for seats under the proportional representation system, providing details of property by the candidates before filing nominations, among others.