Local polls announced at last
after gap of 19 years but challenges remain
(Manoj Karki)
(Manoj Karki)
KATHMANDU: The Government has announced the date for local
elections to be held on May 14. The date as reported in the media was announced
in consultation with the Election Commission, a constitutional body responsible
to hold the elections in a free and fair manner.
The announcement by the government comes after relentless
pressure from all stakeholders, including members of the ruling coalition and
the main opposition party in the parliament. It was also pressing given the
constitutional provision of having to hold all the three tier (in the new
federal set-up) elections by January 2018.
As elections are a must to accelerate the implementation of the
new constitution drafted by the Constituent Assembly, it comes as a welcome
move as far as the constitutional development of the country is concerned.
However, challenges remain galore as far as ensuring that the
elections take place on the announced date. The first and foremost one is the
dissent expressed by the United Madhesi Democratic Front (UDMF), an umbrella
organisation of Madhesh-centric parties. Soon after the announcement of the
date of the local elections, UDMF released a statement announcing a series of
protest programmes, including torch rallies and general strikes. It has also
warned of stopping the elections from taking place at all.
The UDMF has long been in an agitation mood since the
promulgation of the new constitution from the Constituent Assembly in September
2015. The first amendment of the constitution soon after it was promulgated was
an effort to address some of the issues raised by the UDMF. However, the UDMF
continued to protest against the new constitution stating that the first
amendment, done without proper consultation with them, failed to meet their
aspirations.
As part of an effort to address their concerns, the government
has already tabled an amendment proposal at the parliament. It has not been
able to go to the floor for necessary deliberations and the due procedures
mainly because of the vehement protest against it by the main opposition,
CPN-UML. Any changes to be made in the constitution requires a two-thirds
majority and without the support of UML that is unlikely. That is also not
possible given the fact that fringe parties including the now unified Rastriya
Prajatantra Party or RPP too is against the amendment proposal in the status
quo.
An all-party meeting called by the Prime Minister a day after
the announcement of the date of local elections too failed to reach to a
conclusion in relation to the constitution amendment proposal. The UDMF did not
attend the meeting. Parties present in the meeting however welcomed the announcement
of the date of local elections, describing it as a positive step forward.
The second challenge before the local elections is the report of
the Local Level Restructuring Commission. The government needs to finalize the
report and give it to the Election Commission for it to hold local level
elections in the new federal structure. However, the report too has been
contested by the UDMF and wants revision on it before it is finalized. And
coincidently, the UML is against any revision on it.
Though the Election Commission had itself suggested holding the
local elections on May 14, it may not get enough time to prepare if the LLRC
report is not formally handed over to it on time. And management of elections
too may get complicated if the Madhesh-centric parties decide to boycott it.
Time is running out hard and fast for the government before it
is able to address the challenges before holding a successful local election.
And given that the people at large have not been able to vote at the local
level since the last elections in 1997, any further delay would only not
infringe on people's franchise but also push the country towards a serious
constitutional crisis.
Hence, apart from the government, which has a greater
responsibility of bringing all concerned parties on board, the main opposition
UML and the Madhesh-centric parties need to exercise some degree of flexibility
as far as their demands and positions are concerned, and give way to realizing
local elections being held after a gap of 19 years.
This is a crucial time for parties to prove themselves before
their voters, given the fact that they will be facing them three times in the
next 11 months, at the local, provincial and federal level. It is also high
time that Nepal gives up once and for all the political instability that it has
been grappling with since the restoration of democracy in 1990, and takes the
path towards much-needed and already-delayed economic progress and prosperity.
Hence, the parties and their leaders need to rise above their
party and personal interests and take a bold decision in the larger interest of
the country and people that they claim to represent. RSS
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