The Himalayan Times
8 July 2021
Answer about the life of the dissolved House of Representatives (HOR) will remain unknown unless and until the Supreme Court (SC) gives its final verdict in a few days’ time. If it gives its verdict in favour of HoR dissolution, then the country has to go for the snap polls scheduled for November 12 and 19. In that case, question and concern will arise as to whether the country will be able to hold the elections at a time when the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic is giving the country and people a hard time. Also, the third wave of pandemic is more likely to be on its way as recently announced by the World Health Organisation.
Nevertheless, the snap polls can take place if the government is sincere and committed to make it happen. Then the question arises, whether the voters will show up during the polls, as they have already witnessed the horrific phase of the second wave of the pandemic and untimely deaths of hundreds of people due to the government’s creaky health system. All the government and private hospitals were struggling to provide beds and manage the supply of oxygen for the patients needing critical and intensive care.
Assuming that the third wave of COVID-19 is likely to be more dangerous and the snap polls are held as planned, the government has to speed up every effort to improve the existing health system to its level best to save the lives of the people. If not, the fatalities can be more devastating, which may directly and indirectly affect the elections. Until now, only about 3 per cent of the population is fully vaccinated, and it is not certain whether the remaining populations will be fully vaccinated by elections time. Looking at the difficulty in securing the vaccines, the chances of the voters getting fully vaccinated by the scheduled elections dates looks dismal.
Rai Biren Bangdel
Maharajgunj
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