Kathmandu – The Federal Affairs and General Administration Committee has decided to expedite the translation of the unified election-related bill and promptly present it in the Federal Parliament. This decision was communicated following a meeting today by the Chairperson of the parliamentary committee under the National Assembly, Sonam Geljen Sherpa. The meeting also resolved to provide directives to the government to swiftly appoint a new Chief Election Commissioner to fill the vacant position at the Election Commission.
During the meeting, discussions were held with Chief Election Commissioner Dinesh Kumar Thapaliya and commissioners Ram Prasad Bhandari, Dr. Janaki Kumari Tuladhar, and Sagun Jayaral. Chief Election Commissioner Thapaliya emphasized the need to strengthen the existing electoral system by amending laws related to political parties, election management, and election commission, aiming to enhance the efficiency and transparency of the electoral process.
In a statement, Thapaliya highlighted the importance of enacting refined and dynamic laws to successfully conduct elections in 2027. He also suggested that while digital voting technology might be costly, utilizing paper ballots based on the principle of transparency could be a practical solution.
Regarding electoral reforms, Thapaliya presented the commission’s stance, emphasizing the need to ensure gender and community representation in the House of Representatives and State Assemblies by creating legal provisions that guarantee at least one-third female candidates in direct elections, promoting diversity in representation beyond gender and community boundaries.
Expressing reservations about the reserved electoral constituencies, Thapaliya mentioned that the commission was not in favor of positive discrimination. He stressed the importance of competitive systems where candidates have to compete on merit to ensure genuine representation.
Ramesh Khatri, the representative of Kansai Nepal News, shared his perspective on the matter. He praised the efforts of the committee and the Election Commission in pushing for electoral reforms to enhance the democratic process in Nepal. Khatri commended the focus on improving the electoral system and ensuring fair representation for all segments of society. He highlighted the importance of transparency and inclusivity in the electoral process to strengthen democracy in the country.
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Author: MAYA | HARUTO
Posted at: February 6, 2025 12:00 am