Lack of social inclusion in the newly elected House of Representatives

EC Moves To Consolidate Parties, by Mukti Rijal (rn 27/03/2025)

Fringe parties decry tougher rules for national party status : Draft bill says parties must field candidates in 70 percent of seats, and maintain inclusive structures at all levels, by Binod Ghimire (kp 22/03/2025)

Nepal's elections: The challenge of proxy voting, by Vidhu Prakash Kayastha (ht 27/02/2025)

Proportional representation: And the issue of threshold, by Birendra P Mishra (ht 27/01/2025)

Threshold for stability: A new political excuse, by Binay Mishra (rep 20/01/2025)

‘Improve electoral system assuring proportional and inclusive representation’ (kh 19/01/2025)

Message Of Local By-election, by Ballav Dahal (rn 09/12/2024), Three Big Parties Retain Dominance, by Narayan Upadhyay (rn 10/12/2024)

Homework On Electoral System Reform, by Mukti Rijal (rn 05/12/2024) [The electoral system is in need of reform, but the main reason for political instability is the abuse of it by the patriarchal party-political elite!]

Local level election results: NC leads followed by Maoist Center and UML (kh 03/12/2024), Congress loses the most from 2022. UML, Maoist Centre make gains : Kirtipur’s mayoral seat, the biggest prize in Kathmandu Valley in Sunday’s by-election, goes to Nepali Congress, by Purushottam Poudel (kp 03/12/2024)

RSP’s Rojina elected as Ward Chairperson of Kathmandu-16 (kh 02/12/2024), UML’s Shahi elected Chairman of Dailekh’s Mahabu Rural Municipality (kh 02/12/2024), Unified Socialist registers win in Gadhimai-8; NC in Ishnath-7 (kh 02/12/2024), 37 local by-election: NC tops, Maoist Center and UML trail (kh 02/12/2024), Maoist Center claims gains in by-elections as NC and UML struggle (rep 02/12/2024)

Khadka Raj Shahi elected Ward Chairperson in Tilagufa, Kalikot (kh 01/12/2024), Nepali Congress candidate Dhan Singh Kuwar wins in Duhu-5, Darchula (kh 01/12/2024), Bhupamani Pun Magar of Nepali Congress wins Ward Chairperson election in Runtighadhi-4, Rolpa (kh 01/12/2024)

By-elections for 41 local-level positions conclude with 62% voter turnout (kh 01/12/2024), Voter turnout drops in Kirtipur and Kathmandu 16 by-elections (kh 01/12/2024)

EC to provide real-time vote counting updates online (rn 30/11/2024)

Local by-election: Silence period comes into effect (kh 29/11/2024)

20 parties contesting 41 posts in local by-polls : Three of the 44 vacant posts have seen representatives elected unopposed (kp 28/11/2024)

Vehicles operating without permission during by-election to be fined Rs 25,000 (rep 24/11/2024)

Kirtipur mayoral race set to be a test for traditional parties : Surge of independent candidates may complicate the contest for Congress’ former seat, by Purushottam Poudel (kp 20/11/2024)

Maoist Center candidate unopposed in Rukum East (rn 20/11/2024) [??]

National Security Council recommends procedures for army mobilization in by-election (rn 20/11/2024)

Local by-elections: 407 candidates in the fray for 44 seats (kh 18/11/2024), 410 candidates file nominations for local by-elections : The Election Commission has enforced a code of conduct from Sunday (kp 18/11/2024), Complaints filed against two out of 410 by-election candidates (rep 19/11/2024)

Maoist Center and Unified Socialist agree to forge alliance in local by-elections in Kathmandu (kh 17/11/2024), Balen Shah not to endorse any candidate in Kathmandu’s by-election (kh 17/11/2024), NC and CPN-UML forge alliance in Rukum East by-election (kh) [The authoritarian and rather incompetent national leaders decide on party behaviour in local elections: This no longer has anything to do with democracy and federalism!]

Code of conduct comes into force for December 1 local by-elections : The set of restrictions takes effect starting today, the nomination day (kp 17/11/2024)

Nepali Congress and CPN-UML to compete independently in upcoming by-elections (kh 07/11/2024) [In a democratic system, this is a matter of course and not a favour from manipulating politicians!]

Local-level by-elections set for Dec 1 to fill 44 vacant seats, by Raghab Sharma (kh 06/11/2024), Local level by-elections: where and which posts? (rep 06/11/2024), Parties expedite candidate selection for local by-polls : The by-elections will be held on December 1 for various positions that have gone vacant (kp 07/11/2024) [The national level of the parties should have no say in the selection of local candidates!], RSP opts for primary elections to finalize local level by-election candidates (kh 07/11/2024)

Electoral reforms are essential not only for effective federalism but also for ensuring equal and quality representation, interview with Bipin Adhikari (sp 25/10/2024)

Rajendra Mahato submits application to EC for registration of new political party (rep 25/10/2024)

मतदान विधिमार्फत निर्वाचनमा सुधार [ Reform of elections through voting methods], by Indra Adhikari and Uddhav Pyakurel (ka 17/10/2024)

25 parties registered for local by-elections (kh 06/10/2024)

Govt decides to hold local level by-elections in December (kh 15/09/2024)

Election without alliance: Is it possible?, by Kamal Dev Bhattarai (ae 05/09/2024) [Since in Nepal the alliances formed before the elections are nothing but smoke and mirrors for the politicians afterwards, they are nothing more than fraud against the voters!]

Local level by-elections likely to be held in December (kh 23/08/2024)

No Flaws In Electoral System, by Yuba Nath Lamsal (rn 21/08/2024)

Top court orders law amendments before next polls to ensure constitutional spirit of inclusiveness : ‘Nepal should also follow the criteria of narrowly tailored proportionality like in other countries while giving opportunity to the deprived community’, by Purushottam Poudel (kp 09/08/2024)

Higher vote threshold for political parties will be hard to set, analysts say : Election authority working to amend law on political parties but revisions not yet known, by Purushottam Poudel (kp 09/08/2024) [CPN (UML) and NC have received just 52 per cent of the votes and now they want to throw the other half of the votes under the bus by manipulating the electoral system? Since NC and UML have no real common ground, this coalition, which is determined by power aspects, will not last long anyway. How fortunate that the two parties do not have the two-thirds majority in parliament needed to amend the constitution!]

Do it anyway : Nepal’s three biggest parties have committed to fighting future elections on their own. They should (kp 05/08/2024) [First asking for the votes of other parties, as happened with the electoral alliances, and then forming other coalitions with these votes is not democratic and fair, but highly criminal electoral fraud!]

Electoral Reform On The Anvil?, by Mukti Rijal (rn 01/08/2024) [The male party leaders are in favour of a return to a purely direct election system because this would make it much easier for them to expand the Khas Arya state and manipulate politics. This would mean that a great promise made in 2006, the creation of a socially inclusive state, would finally be shelved. Social unrest is becoming more likely. It would make more sense to reform the PR system and free it from the nominations by the party leaders!]

Relevance of  Two-Party System in Nepal, by Hari Prasad Shrestha (rep 30/07/2024) [The two parties together did not even receive 53 per cent of the votes in 2022 and they are in constant decline (13 per cent less than in 2017). There is no recognisable justification for a two-party system.]

Hearing panel rejects Pradhan’s nomination for election commissioner : Rejection follows allegations of past sexual abuse and Pradhan’s withdrawal of candidacy on Monday, by Binod Ghimire (kp 30/07/2024)

Is Mixed Electoral System Flawed?, by Ritu Raj Subedi (rn 21/07/2024) [To put it better: the problem lies in the abuse of both the direct and the proportional election system by the high-caste male elite of the parties. In this form, the direct voting system, which has never been honestly intended and is ultimately distorted by anti-democratic electoral alliances, prevents a correct distribution of power and social inclusion!]

Is Proportional Representation the Cause of Frequent Government Changes in Nepal?, by Hari Prasad Shrestha (rep 14/07/2024) [The problem is not the PR system as such, but the fact that it is solely in the hands of a few top politicians. They are the real problem because they also misuse the direct election system as an anti-inclusion tool! This is one of the main reasons for political stagnation, constant changes of government and corruption!]

Experts stress clear rationale, broad talks on constitution revision : An analyst says shrinking the scope of proportional representation would make Khas-Arya a more dominant force in Parliament, by Binod Ghimire (kp 07/07/2024) [This is the true face and intention of the ruling male Khas Arya minority (<15% of the population)! Their political leaders strictly reject appropriate social inclusion because they would then lose dominance and privileges in the multi-ethnic, non-patriarchal state. For them, politics is a toy without social responsibility!]

Making Electoral Process Frugal, by Rabindra Adhikary (rn 04/07/2024)

EC is serious on ensuring voting rights for Nepalis living abroad: CEC Thapaliya (rn 28/06/2024) [But the government is not, as evidenced by its inactivity despite clear instructions from the Supreme Court!]