KATHMANDU, MAR 12 - The Nepali Congress has proposed removing the provision of appointing the Chief District Officer as the chief of the District Election Office while holding the upcoming local elections arguing that the dual responsibility could raise questions over the credibility and impartiality of the polls.The main ruling party is for assigning judiciary officials for holding the election at local bodies in the districts for the sake of neutrality.
The proposal comes at a time when the Election Commission is preparing to amend laws concerning the local polls citing the changed political context and when the political parties are seeking consensus to conduct the vote by May-end.
“The CDOs are responsible for maintaining law and order so they should not be given the charge of holding the polls. That would be additional burden on them,” said NC Joint General Secretary Purna Bahadur Khadka.
He said the NC office bearers have agreed to propose that at a meeting with other parties, including CPN-UML.
The Local Body Election Procedure Act (2048) has a provision to assign CDOs to conduct the polls as the district election office chief. “The provision should be replaced, allowing judges to take the charge,” said Khadka.
The UML that leads the Home Ministry—CDOs are under the ministry—is in
a fix whether to accept the proposal.
“Impartiality of the election is important. We will put our views forth once the Congress formally floats its proposal while reviewing the law,” said UML Secretary Shankar Pokharel.
Before government formation, coalition partners NC and UML both staked their claims to lead the ministry particularly in view of the local polls. When UML protested hard, the ministry was allocated to it.
Coincidentally, when the UML won most seats in the 1997 local elections, its cadre was the home minister. Allegations are that the CDOs played a crucial role then as the heads of district election office s. The NC fears that the situation could repeat this time as well.
EC officials said district election office s were not fixed when the polls were held in 1997. Who becomes the district election chief should not be much of a problem, they added.
“Now that election offices have been established in all the 75 districts and district election chiefs exist, we will decide over the issue,” said Chief Election Commissioner Neel Kantha Uprety. “But we ask the parities to reach an understanding on the local polls at the earliest.”
The EC has its own chief district election office rs from the government’s Administration Service.
Instead of arguing over who conducts the polls at the local level, the EC wants the parties to take a short cut in law amendment. The EC believes that issuing a new bill is quicker than amending the existing provisions.
An EC taskforce is working on law amendments for making the election process more inclusive and timely.
It is effortful to ensure at least 40 percent women participation and representation of marginalised communities in line with their population.
“We have instructed the taskforce to provision equal representation of women as men in key positions,” said Uprety.
The Local Body Election Procedure Act requires at least nine women in the 45-member VDC Council. The provision to field at least 40 percent female candidates will increase women’s participation in politics.
