EC Mulls Action Against Disobedient Observers

Razen Manandhar
Kathmandu, May 12 [2008]

Over a hundred domestic organisations could disqualify for future election observation missions in Nepal for failing to submit their preliminary reports, Election Commission sources said on Sunday.

The EC directive for the observers states that those organisations which have received EC accreditation as observers should submit their preliminary reports within 15 days of polls and detailed reports within three months.

But according to the EC record, only 13 domestic bodies and five international bodies have submitted their preliminary reports to the EC till the date. In total, there were 178 organisations accredited to observe the election. Over 60,000 domestic observers from 148 organisations and 856 international observers from 30 organisations were assigned duty to observe the historic election.

Commissioner Dr Ayodhi Prasad Yadav said those organisations, which have failed to submit their reports, would be black-listed and their applications to observe any future elections would be rejected.

"We are making a list of the organisations that failed to meet the EC directive," he said, adding that the EC was not going to request them to submit their reports.

Yadav also said the organisations violated the EC directives by ignoring their responsibility to send reports. "It is their duty to submit reports. We had told this to them while awarding them accreditiaion," he said.

An officer at EC said the 18 reports submitted by the observers hardly had anything new that has not already been reported by the media. "The EC would soon study the reports and classify them," the officer said.

"It is difficult to understand why those organisations are not submitting their reports," he said.
[ KATHMANDU, MAY 12, 2008, Baishakh 30, 2065 ]
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Major parties fall short on EC quotas

Razen Manandhar

Kathmandu, May 2[2008]:
Two of the oldest parties in the poll fray — Nepali Congress and the CPN-UML — became the last parties to submit their PR lists.
The NC submitted its list to the Election Commission (EC) at 5.15 pm, while the UML submitted its list at 6.15 pm. The EC had fixed 5 pm deadline for submitting the PR lists, but cadres of the two parties entered the EC office before the deadline and made the EC officials wait till their parties came up with the lists.
The NC rushed a party activist in a taxi to the EC to submit its PR list.
The CPN-Maoist had brought the list by 3.15 pm. Other newly-emerged parties also submitted their lists to the EC today.
Most of the fringe parties, with one or two CA seats in their kitty, had submitted their lists earlier. Nepal Pariwar Dal became the first among these 25 parties, submitting its one-member list on April 25.
The EC will examine the lists to see whether the PR lists have been prepared ensuring the inclusion of women, Janajatis, Madhesis and Dalits. The EC will send back the lists to parties concerned for correction if the lists are not inclusive.
“There is a formal process in the EC to approve names. It will take some days,” Dhruba Dhakal, an undersecretary at the EC, said.
According to the Election Commission, 11 political parties, which had submitted their closed lists comprising 30 per cent candidates under the PR system, should have 37.8 per cent Janajati candidates, 31.2 Madhesi candidates, 13 per cent Dalit candidates and four per cent candidates from backward regions in their PR lists. They should not have more than 30.2 per cent candidates from Bahun and other Hindu castes.
However, major parties failed to allocate legally required number of seats to Janajatis, Madhesis, Dalits and backward regions.
The Maoists have picked the largest number of PR candidates from the backward region (four
per cent).
Janajatis and others comprise 30 per cent of CA members picked under the PR system (the Maoists have picked 29 Madhesis and 30 Janajatis).
Nepali Congress PR list comprises 21 Madheshis (28.77 per cent), nine Dalits (12.33 per cent) and 27 Janajatis (36.99 per cent). Two NC nominees (2.74 per cent) are from the backward region. However, the party has increased the number in “others” quota, giving 24 seats (32.88 per cent) under this category representing Bahuns and other groups.
The UML PR list comprises 21 Madheshis (30 per cent), nine Dalits (12.85 per cent), 24 Janajatis (34.28 per cent), two candidates from the backward region (2.86 per cent) and 30 others.
TMDP has only Tarai castes like Sah, Yadav, Jha, Singh and Kedia on its list. MJF has picked 21 candidates from Tarai-based communities; only one MJF PR candidate is from a different community.
Among small parties, the Chure Bhawar Rastriya Ekta Party Nepal has picked Keshav Mainali, Nepali Pariwar Dal has Eknath Dhakal. Dalit Janajati Party and Nepa Rashtriya Party have picked Bishendra Paaswan and Buddha Sayami.
[KATHMANDU, MAY 03, 2008, Baishakh 21, 2065 ]
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Maoists bag 100 PR seats, says EC

Razen Manandhar
Kathmandu, April 25:

The CPN-Maoist bagged the most Constituent Assembly seats under the Proportional Representation (PR) system too by winning 100 seats out of the total 335 seats allocated for the PR system.

The Maoists had polled 3,144,204 (29.85 per cent) votes out of the 10,739,078 votes cast under the PR system.

The Maoists have already secured 120 seats under the first-past-the-post system. With the PR results, Maoists will have 220 seats (36.6 per cent) in the 601-member assembly.

Fifty-four political parties out of the 74 registered in the EC had taken part in the election under the PR system. Of them, only 25 parties have secured at least one seat in the CA through this system.

The NC, which stood second in direct polls by winning 37 seats, bagged 73 seats under the PR system. It polled 2,269,883 votes (21.79 per cent). The CPN-UML got 70 seats with 2,183,370 votes (20.90 per cent). The MJF bagged 22 seats under PR system. MJF got 6.57 per cent votes of the total votes cast under PR system. Another Tarai-based party, TMDP, got 11 seats with 3,338,930 votes under the PR system.

Both the CPN-ML and the RPP stand sixth in the hierarchy with eight seats each. They have won no seat under direct polls. The RPP polled 263,431 votes and the CPN-ML polled 243,545 votes. The Sadbhawana Party and the CPN-United have secured five seats each under the PR system with 167,517 votes and 154,968 votes, respectively.

The RJP and People’s Front Nepal have secured three seats each and the NWPP, Rastriya Janamukti Party, CPN-Unified, NSP-A, Nepali Janata Dal, Sanghiya Loktantrik Rashtriya Manch secured two seats each.

The Samajbadi Janta Party, Dalit Janajati Party, Nepal Pariwar Dal, Nepaa Rastriya Party, Nepal Loktantrik Samajbadi Party and the Chure Bhawar Rastriya Ekata Party bagged one seat each in the CA.
Though the CPN-United Marxist had fielded 100 candidates under PR system, it could not win even a single seat. The CPN-Unified, which had fielded 328 candidates, won only two seats. It is the fourth largest party after the NC, UML and Maoists in terms of the number of candidatesit fielded under PR system.

Announcing the PR results, chief election commissioner Bhojraj Pokhrel asked the political parties to submit by May 2 the names of candidates whom they want to send to the CA from their closed lists of candidates. The seats under the PR system were allocated on the basis of the proportion of the total valid votes to the votes polled by the parties, the EC said in a release.

Out of the 11,146,540 votes cast under the PR system, 407,462 were invalid. Over 63 per cent of the total eligible voters had cast their votes under the PR system.

267,448 votes wasted
KATHMANDU: 267,448 votes secured by 29 parties under the PR system went useless as the votes bagged by those parties failed to win any seat. It needed 23,512 votes for the Nepal Pariwar Dal to secure one seat, while CPN-Marxist failed to win a seat with 21,234 votes. For Maoists, they needed 31,442 votes to win a seat. On an average, smaller parties, which secured 0.22 to 0.38 per cent of the valid votes, won at least one seat. — HNS
[ KATHMANDU, APRIL 26, 2008, Baikash 14, 2065 ]
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Janajati first-timers send bigwigs packing

Razen Manandhar
Kathmandu, April 21:

Poll candidates from ethnic communities, sidelined by political parties for long, sprung a surprise this time around, defeating many iconic figures of Nepali politics.

Former Prime Minister and RJP chairman Surya Bahadur Thapa, who had won all three elections, was defeated in Dhanakuta 2 by Maoist Hriaraj Limbu with a margin of 6,867 votes.

RPP chairman Pahsupati Shamsher Rana was in the poll-fray in Sidhupalchok 1 and 3, but was routed by Maoist candidates Rajkumar Shrestha and Dawa Tamang.

Joining the league of newcomers, Lal Bahadur Susling beat former deputy prime minister and UML candidate Bharatmohan Adhikari in Morang 2.

No different was the fate of UML leader and former deputy prime minister KP Sharma Oli, who was in the fray in Jhapa-7. Oli was defeated by another new face, Maoist candidate Bishwadip Lingden.

Janajati leader Purna Singh Rajbanshi defeated Home Minister and central committee member of the NC Krishna Sitaula in Jhapa-3.

Minister for Water Resources Gyanendra Bahadur Karki was beaten by Padam Bahadur Rai of the CPN-M in Bhojpur-1.
Former finance minister and NC candidate Mahesh Acharya was beaten by Bhimraj Chaudhari Rajbahshi of the MJF. Another former minister and NC candidate Bal Bahadur KC was defeated by Gopal Kirati in Solukhumbu-1.

Former Minister for Physical Planning and Works Chiranjibi Wagle was defeated in Gorkha 1 by by little-known Maoist candidate Parbati Thapa with a record margin of 31,464 votes.

Defeat of some other well-known leaders of well-known parties by ethnic leaders is equally surprising. Jayapuri Gharti of the CPN-M defeated NC leader Madhav Acharya in Rolpa 1, Devi Lal Chaudhary of the CPN-M defeated NC leader Narayan Prasad Saud in Kanchanpur-2 and Akkal Bahadur Thing of the CPN-M defeated UML leader Keshav Badal in Kabhre-2. NC leader Udaya Shamsher Rana was defeated by Maoist Barshaman Pun in Lalitpur-2.
[ KATHMANDU, APRIL 22, 2008, Baishakh 10, 2065 ]
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Janajatis upbeat after poll showing; bag 82 seats

Razen Manandhar
Kathmandu, April 19:

Results of the Constituent Assembly (CA) polls have paved the way for a greater participation of the Janajatis in politics.

Out of 226 elected members of the CA, 82 belong to different ethnic groups. This means around 38 per cent members of the CA will be Janajatis. According to an estimate, Janajatis constitute 37 per cent of the total population.

In earlier elections, the ethic groups were either discouraged by the party leadership from coming into the central level or they themselves were indifferent to party politics. There were only 31 Janajati MPs in the earlier parliament, which had 205 MPs.

Of the total elected CA members, 50 belong to the CPN-Maoist, while the NC and UML each have 10 Janajati CA members. The remaining 12 members are from Madheshi-oriented parties like the Madheshi Janadhikar Forum, Tarai Madheshi Democratic Party and the Sadbhawana Party.

The Magars have won 14 seats, the Newars 13 seats, the Tharus have 12 seats and the Gurungs have won 10 seats. The Rais and Tamangs have won 8 seats each, while the Limbus have bagged 7 seats. Other smaller ethnic groups have secured remaining 10 seats.

Only 12 Newars, 7 Limbus and 6 Gurungs were in the former parliament. The Rais and the Tamangs had two seats for each of them, while two other seats belonged to other minor communities.

In comparison, the Magars have shown a drastic presence in politics by turning from non-present in the former parliament to 14 seats this time. The Tharus, which had no representation in the former parliament, have bagged 12 seats this time. The Tamangs, who held only 2 seats in the former parliament, have bagged eight seats. This time too, the Limbus have bagged 7 seats. Compared to the former parliament, the presence of the Newars has gone down by two seats.

Interestingly, the Janajatis have saved face of the two major parties — the NC and the UML — in this election. Both the parties had been criticised for discriminating against the Janajatis while distributing “tickets”.

But Janajati leaders, who got party tickets, secured almost one-third of total seats won by both the parties. Ten out of 35 CA members, who were elected on NC ticket, were Janajatis. Out of 31 CA members elected on UML ticket, 10 were Janajatis.
[KATHMANDU, APRIL 20, 2008, Baishakh 08, 2065 ]
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Counting begins amid disputes in Gorkha

Razen Manandhar
Gorkha, April 11
Vote counting in Gorkha Constituency No 2 of began this evening amidt dissatisfaction, complains and aggressions.Polling was continued in the district despite walkouts of agents of other political parties than the CPN-Maoist in many polling centres.Barkrishna Uprety, the returning officer, said that the counting votes in Constituency No 2 began this evening. He also said that the ballot boxes of Constituency No 1 have also been collected in the headquarters.

"Counting of votes in Constituency No 3 might take one more day as ballot boxes have to be collected by helicopter," he said.

"Hopefully, we will begin counting of the votes in Constituency no 3 tomorrow because all the ballot boxes have arrived in Sirdibas, the collection centre, and a helicopter will bring them soon here in the district headquarters," he said.

CDO Jiban Prasad Oli said that the election in Gorkha was a success because nothing untowards happened.Baburam Thapa, the UML contender from constituency 1 said that his party has nothing to do with the vote-counting. "We cannot accept this kind of election. We will not be present in this vote-counting," he said.Parvati Thapa Shrestha, the Maoist contender said that the election was fair.
[2008 april 12]

Many applicants for observers rejected

Razen Manandhar/Madan Wagle

Damauli, April 8
Out of over 1,000 applicants for National Observers, only 650 were given identity cards here because the rest did not meet the requirements.

"We issued only 650 cards to the observers as others have not passed SLC and those who have passed are known to be political activists," said Ram Chandra Tiwari, the District Election Office of Tanahu.

He also said that even the issued cards could be scrapped as investigation was going on for those cards as well.
"We have asked all the observation organisations to return cards of those who are not fit to be observers. And some have obeyed us," he said. He added that many observation organisations could not educate the would-be observers and many could have applied for observes with some vested interests.

A meeting was held here today to discuss the duties and responsibility of the observers. According to him, though the international observers are here to express their goodwill and to ‘learn from our experiences’, some problems were seen in dealing with national observers.

All over the country, over 60,000 national observers affiliated to 148 organisations are being deployed to polling centres.

"The preparations for the election completed today," he said adding: "We have dispatched all election materials to 314 polling centres and also have deputed all the staffers in their respective areas of duty."

"The materials have reached the polling centres," he said.

Around 3,600 staffers are being deputed in the district. Among them, 1,900 are sent from district headquarters and they will hire an additional 1,700 volunteers at the local level. The team will be under supervision of the 700 polling offers and deputy polling officers, who had been in training of the Election Commission. The staffers today started putting election notices in all polling centres.

In Tahahu, 34 contenders are contesting for three seats. For this, 267,618 voters will cast their votes from 314 polling centres, out of which six are temporary. The district has one municipality and 46 village development committees. Chok High School of Rampuretar kha is the smallest centre with 348 voters, while the polling centre of Kalika High School of Dumre Kharka kha is the biggest, with 1,147 voters.

"The security management have been complete in the district," Chief District Officer of Tanahu Kashinath Marashini said. "Security teams have been deployed in all polling centres and other areas. We are confident of our security management," he said.
[2008 april 9}

Legal remedy looks distant as poll violence goes on

Razen Manandhar
Kathmandu, March 29:

Though election-related criminal activities are taking place almost every day in different parts of the country, no legal solution has been sought to control them or bring the guilty to the book.

Five persons have been killed and dozens have been injured in the month of March alone; one among the dead being a candidate for the polls.

However, the government has not adopted the usual process of prosecution in any of the cases, says the Election Commission.

“The violence reported from many parts of the country cannot be taken simply as minor incidents of violation of election code. A crime is a crime, be it committed around the election time or at any other time. But we are yet to see any legal action taken against the guilty,” said Election Commissioner Neel Kantha Upreti.

According to him, finalising a murder case in two weeks in our context may not be possible, but steps should be taken to maintain the rule of law and discourage repetition of similar incidents to ensure an environment for impartial polls.
On the EC’s part, Upreti said those involved in criminal activities would be barred from taking part in any election activities, including contesting, for at least six years. The EC can do it only when a person is proved guilty by a court.

Bishwakanta Mainali, the chairman of the Nepal Bar Association, said neither the parties nor the government have been committed to find legal solution to the violent incidents.

“The government can file cases against the accused, whether the case is an election-related violence or not,” he said.

The government is too timid to file cases against the accused, as it fears a negative impact of such a move on the polls. “But this will only encourage a culture of impunity,” he said.

March Details of violence

12: 12 UML cadres and candidate Dev Shakar Paudel beaten up in Ramechhap
13: Six hurt in NC-Tarun Dal clash in Itahari
16: Shooting at NC poll rally in Okhaldhunga
17: 11 NC, 3 UML cadres hurt in Chitwan
18: Police post attacked in Rasuwa
19: Maoist cadres Tek B Gharti and Bhakta Bahadur BK shot dead in Rolpa
- RJN candidate Kamal Adhikari was shot dead in Banke
20: 12 hurt in UML-YCL chash in Dhading
21: Janamorcha Nepal poll campaign disrupted in Khotang
22: Maoist cadre Shivapujan Kurmi shot dead in Kapilvastu -Maoist candidate Sushma Sharma Ghimire attacked in Dang
24: KP Sharma Oli attacked in Jhapa
-Election meeting of RPP-N disrupted in Pokhara
25: 25 hurt in clashes with police in Rupandehi
-UML candidate Rajendra Pande detained in Dhading
26: Maoist cadre Ganga Bhujel died in a clash in Solukhumbu; NC candidate Bal Bahadur KC and others injured
27: 15 NC cadres injured in Dhading
28: 18 injured in NC-UML clash in Dhangadhi
[KATHMANDU, MARCH 30, 2008, Chaitra 17, 2064]
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50,035 can bet their votes won’t go waste

Razen Manandhar
Kathmandu, March 21:

At least 50,035 voters from Kathmandu constituency no 1 will not have to worry about rigging or booth capturing during the CA polls. The reason: For the first time, these voters will be voting through an Electronic Voting Machine (EVM).

The small equipment, which has a board with list for the parties and their signs along with buttons, guarantees zero per cent error. Votes can be cast every 15 seconds. EVM, is now being introduced in Kathmandu constituency no 1, which comprises ward nos 10, 11, 32 and 34 of the KMC, for the first time. Rigging and booth capturing will not occur because nobody will be able to make any change in the booth once the vote is cast and recorded in the computer, officials at the Election Commission said. India has provided the EVM.

“Voting starts when the machine gives you a green signal. Unlike the conventional ballot papers, a voter does not affix the stamp on the chosen symbol. He will have to push a blue button next to the symbol of his choosing. The machine will give a sound, making sure that the vote has been counted,” said Ishwari Prasad Aryal, EC’s section officer. Aryal said the polling officer does not have to sign on the ballot paper; he just pushes a button to let a voter cast his or her vote.

Seventeen groups have launched a door-to-door campaign to educate the voters and to test how effective the EVM is among the voters. The campaign will go on till April 7.
An EVM has two units — a ballot unit and a control unit. Both are linked with a five-metre cable. Each of the ballot unit can record 2,000 votes. It has space for 16 election symbols but when there are over 16 contenders, up to four such units can be joined.

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[ KATHMANDU, MARCH 22, 2008, Chaitra 09, 2064]

CA election will see a sea of observers

Razen Manandhar
Nepal Sadbhawana Party President Anandidevi Singh submitting the closed list of the party’s candidates at the Election Commission in Kantipath, Kathmandu, on Sunday.
Nepal Sadbhawana Party President Anandidevi Singh submitting the closed list of the party’s candidates at the Election Commission in Kantipath, Kathmandu, on Sunday.
Kathmandu, March 2:

Close to 93,000 volunteers will be mobilised as Election Observers (EO) all over the country during the April 10 Constituent Assembly election. The number is 30 times higher than the number of volunteers observing Nepal’s third general election in 1999.
A total of 92,245 Nepalis affiliated with 148 non-government organisations and around 500 foreign observers from seven international organisations will inspect the voting in 9,801 polling centres and over 20,000 polling booths, according to the Election Obeservers’ Resource Centre (EORC) at the Election Commission.
The National Election Monitoring Alliance (NEMA) also plans to mobilise a quarter of the observers. The smallest number of volunteers was offered by the Women Development Self-Employment Training Centre (WDSETC) which has only three observers.
Subodh Raj Pyakurel, head of observers’ group from National Election Monitoring Alliance, said that the observers were selected from 14 federations affiliated to NEMA and they cannot be cadres of any party.
The National Election Monitoring Alliance so far has decided that each of the observers will get Rs 150 for their day-long work.
Usha Khadka, who heads the WDSETC, said that her organisation could offer only three persons because of lack of funds.
Asian Network for Free Elections is mobilising 100 foreign observers, while others are undecided about their numbers.
Dhruba Dhakal, under secretary of EC, said that the number of observers is natural because the interest to be part of the election is growing all over the country.
Asked if the groups of observers could pose problems at polling centres, he said that the returning officers would regulate observers.
“The officer may send them out or ask them to be present following time table if the number is found to be too big to handle,” he said.

Nepali organisations
• National Election Monitoring Alliance (NEMA) - 23,000
• Nepal Election Observation Committee Nepal (NEOC/N) - 20,000
• National Election Observation Committee (NEOC) - 12,700
• Democracy and Election Alliance Nepal (DEAN) - 12,000
• Common Movement for Human Rights Preservation and Peace (CHRP) - 7,500
• CA Election Observation Joint Forum (CAEOF) - 5,000
• General Election Observation Committee (GEOC) - 1,900
• Nepal Bar Association (NBA) - 1,000

International organisations
• The Carter Centre
• Asian Network for Free Elections
• Forum-Asia
• Universal Human Rights Network
• European Observation Mission
• The Asia Foundation
• Socialist International
[ KATHMANDU, MARCH 03, 2008, Falgun 20, 2064]

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EC to educate voters in 17 ethnic languages

Razen Manandhar
Kathmandu, January 19:

For the first time in the Nepal’s election history, the trainers of the Election Commission are visiting around 4,000 villages with an offer to educate about the process and technicalities of the constituent assembly election in 17 ethnic languages.

According to Central Bureau of Statistics of Nepal, there are 102 languages spoken in the country by 61 ethnic communities, besides the official Nepali language.

“We are going to the voters with a wide variety of mother tongues, to educate them about the technicalities of the election process for the first time,” said Laxman Bhattarai, the EC’s spokesperson.

He said that teaching the voters in mother languages has become necessary in the present context. “It is a necessary move. Even in villages around the Kathmandu Valley, members of many Newar communities do not understand Nepali. The situation is even more difficult in the Tarai and mountain regions,” he said.

The major languages, which are being included in the list of voters’ education are Newar, Tamang, Gurung, Magar, Tharu, Maithali, Bhojpuri, Rai, Limbu, among others.

The contents of the instructions will include brief introduction of the constituent assembly, its significance, the methodology of the election, the need of voting and how one is qualified or disqualified for voting.

“The trainers will basically tell the voters what the election is about and why it is important to cast a vote in the election,” he said.

The voters’ education will formally begin by February 27, for which two Voters’ Education Volunteers from local community schools will stay in villages for 45 days and they will deliver training in around 4,000 villages. The training for the volunteers will begin by February 4 and they will move to their destinations following the training. The total number of trainers for the voters’ education will be around 9,000.

“The training materials are being printed. We have posters, pamphlets, stickers, flip charts and other materials for the trainers,” he said. According to the EC schedule, the materials will be prepared, produced and transported by February 13.

Chairman of Nepal Federation of Indigenous Nationalities, Pasang Sherpa, welcomed the EC’s step with caution.

“We welcome the government step to recognise the local languages and also to teach them about the election thorough their mother tongues,” he said, adding that the real implication of the step, however, will be appreciable only when the efforts are implemented.

ABC of CA polls:
• EC trainers are visiting 4,000 villages to educate people about the process and technicalities of the constituent assembly election
• Even in villages around the Kathmandu Valley, members of many Newar communities
do not understand Nepali. The situation is more difficult in the Tarai and mountain regions
• There are 102 languages spoken in the country by 61 ethnic communities, besides the
official Nepali language

Small parties to team up for TPR

Razen Manandhar
Kathmandu, October 31:

Unlike big parties, small parties are rooting for the adoption of a Total Proportional Representation (TPR). They say an alliance should be forged between small parties and other alliances for the adoption of this system. The Jana Morcha Nepal, CPN-United, CPN-Unified and the NSP-Anandidevi are some of the parties that have been demanding that the constituent assembly polls be held on the basis of TPR.
Ganesh Shah, general secretary, CPN-United, said today: “We will wage a joint struggle to break the monopoly of the big parties.”
Kabiraj Timilsina, spokesperson, Nepal People’s Party, said only a coalition among the pro-TPR parties and forces will put pressure on the big parties.
Chairman of the Nepal Federation of Indigenous Nationalities (NEFIN) Pasang Sherpa said that the adoption of an all-out proportional representation will suit the country.
Demanding the TPR, the NEFIN handed over a memorandum at the PM’s Office yesterday. “TPR is a matter of our existence. Women have been sidelined by parties in polls. Now, we want to have our seats secured in the CA and this is the only way for us,” said Dr Renu Rajbhandari, coordinator, National Alliance of Women Human Right Defenders.

NEFIN’s proposal
KATHMANDU: The indigenous people will assure the government that those who will be elected in the constituent assembly will not claim their share in the government, NEFIN chairman Pasang Sherpa said on Wednesday. “We know, the major parties are worried that we might seek our seats in the government. We want to make it clear that we, the Janajatis and as minorities, are not asking for total PR to become ministers. We just want to have the right to write our own statute,” he said. According to his option, elected assembly will be engaged only in drafting the statute, while the seven-party coalition will stay in the government even after the polls, probably in an expanded form. — HNS

Time running out for EC to hold polls

Razen Manandhar
Kathmandu, January 31[2007]:

Only four months are left for holding an election to a constituent assembly but political parties are yet to decide the type of proportional representation system they have talked about.
The Election Commission (EC) has held around a dozen meetings with the parties in a bid to end uncertainties regarding CA polls but they (parties) have not yet decided about the poll process.
The EC had called a meeting today to bring party leaders together and discuss the election process but it was cancelled after none of them turned up.
“It is going to be difficult for the EC to do everything in this short period, as basic issues about election system are yet to be decided,” said EC spokesperson Laxman Bhattarai.
According to him, proportional representation through mixed system means either to choose parallel system (PS) or mixed member participation system (MMPS). “The two systems will produce entirely different results for they are meant for different kinds of representation,” he said.
NC leader Arjun Narsingh KC said his party supported PS. “NC will stand for PS for constituent assembly polls. We will present our views to EC soon,” he said.
NC-D leader Dr Narayan Khadka said his party would most likely moot for NC’s choice “though the party is yet to come up with final decision on the issue”.
“Our demand is to adopt total PR. If it is not possible, our party will go for MMPS,” said Shankar Pokharel of the CPN-UML.

Election in a glass-case

By RAZEN MANANDHAR

Though the govern ment failed to bring back the stolen (or exported) idol of Dipankar Buddha from Austria, the authorities have lately found a curio item unclaimed, at the backyard of Shahid Manch.

The maker of the abstract sculpture, entitled "Election" is anonymous but he said to have been very popular among the public in past 11 years. The art critics have not yet analysed whether the poor people really love it or the exhibitors wanted to impose this show on the people’s back. The advertisers have made such an impression in the world that it was the people’s wish and not the organisers’ vested interest that guide this poor country to organise the extravagant show in every three or four years.

To be very frank, there was nothing to gain by watching this abstract sculpture for the public. But still, a handful of exhibitors, who earn money by showing of the sculpture often lure the visitors by explaining the beauty of artworks, curves, texture and composition. Their explanation of the curio sculpture reminds me of the political leaders who pretend to watch modern art and to understand it too at such exhibitions.

What could compel them to exhibit the mystic sculpture now and then if not the profit they gain? Though it was constitutional to open the display once in five years at Bahadur Bhawan, they have the practice of opening it in every other year.

A new exhibition of the same mesmerising sculpture is going to be held soon. It was said that this exhibition will benefit all the parties and the public, they have not come up with preparations from their sides. This clearly shows that they are not expecting any such exhibition.

But as a matter of fact the people will gain nothing only by watching it. And this time, the exhibition will be held amid strict security. The authority said that the exhibition would be marked by tight security, so much so that the exhibition will be there but the security will take out the breath of each visitor before s/he could watch it for the last time.

The authority has not yet made proper arrangement for the show to take place, but they are cocksure that they could hold it. They have not even consulted our Hydrology department whether it will rain or snow on that day.

The entertainers are also still not sure whether they should go to villages and lure the uneducated, poor and dim-witted people to the stage. Even going there is not the end. They will have to explain about the specialty of the show this time.

You will never know, the organisers do not want to bring the sculpture to the show. They are afraid that the right to hold another show might be snatched away. To keep their right tight, they have already laid off 205 guards who were working from Singha Durbar. Similarly, they have also deputed their pets instead of 4,000 representatives in local posts around the museum.

But things are not gonna be better anyway. If going there will be more boring than watching Nepal Television, I think the audience will choose the worse than the worst. It’s their right too.

What is interesting about this show is that the louder the authority start confirming the possibility of the election, the more suspicious the possibility of holding this show becomes. They have been repeating the same thing so many times that even the audience have forgotten what exactly will take place.
[Kathmandu, Wednesday October 02, 2002 Ashwin 16, 2059.]