EU deploys team to observe elections in Nepal

Kathmandu, Oct 26 (IANS) The European Union has deployed a 10-member team in Nepal to observe the elections to the House of Representatives and State Assemblies scheduled for November 26 and December 7.

"In response to an invitation by the Nepal authorities, the European Union has deployed an Election Observation Mission (EOM) to Nepal to observe the elections," the European Union (EU) said in a statement on Thursday, Xinhua reported.

Federica Mogherini, High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Vice-President of the European Commission, has appointed European Parliament member Zeljana Zovko as the Chief Observer, the statement added.

Mogherini said the upcoming elections will be another important moment for the country and crucial for completing the constitutional transition process.

The EU observers, who arrived here on Wednesday, will be staying in Nepal until the completion of the electoral process and to prepare a comprehensive final report, the statement said.

Shortly after the completion of the elections, the mission will issue a preliminary statement of its findings at a press conference in Kathmandu.

A final report, including recommendations for future electoral processes, will be presented at a later stage after finalisation of the whole electoral process.