By Our Reporter Former election commissioners, former Army chief, former Police chief, former intelligence chief, former security officers, officials from the Election Commission, officials from the security organs and also intellectuals and academicians exclusively discussed on the upcoming 14 May local elections, its impartiality, capability of holding elections, among other. On the eve of the local elections they raised question of security at a time when a section of political parties are denying to participate in the local elections. They remarked that holding elections at once is a big challenge. Considering security capability, the local elections had to be held in different phases, they remarked. Former Election Commissioner Surya Prasad Shrestha remarked that this time, justices are appointed as the election officer. They might have less administrative idea, therefore, elections this time is challengeable. During his tenure, the district administration officer, having administrative knowledge, used to be the election officer and thus they were able to tackle problems related to elections, Shrestha remarked. The one-day seminar entitled public security, election and emergency preparedness organized by Former Police Council Nepal and The Relief Trust, in collaboration with the Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung (FES) was timely and relevant from which the participants and also the government, the Election Commission and the security organs could be beneficiated from the outcome of the seminar. The seminar chaired by Kedar Prasad Giri, former chief justice, Supreme Court, was participated by former IGP Hem Bahadur Singh, former CoAS Gen RookmagudKatwal, and former Nepal Information Department chief Deviram Sharma, among others. The seminar started with the keynote address by FES Nepal chief Dev Raj Dahal. Former SSP Chudabahadur Shrestha, ShyamSundar Sharma, senior journalist KrishnamMurari Sharma, society scholar Aswin Kumar Piudashaini, former DIGP and currently director, British-Nepal Medical Trust Dr Kulesh Thapa, SSP NarayansinghKhadka had presented their papers on different aspects of the elections.