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Time To Choose Experts discuss the viability of different electoral systems
By SANJAYA DHAKAL
As the country marches towards the elections of Constituent Assembly (CA), experts have now started debating on what sort of electoral system may be best for ensuring an inclusive and fully representative state in the present day Nepal given its multi-ethnic, multi-lingual, multi-regional and multi-cultural fabric.
Ever since Nepal took its first tentative steps into democratic era since 1950, it has been following First-Past-The Post (FPTP) or winner-takes-all electoral system in which majority rules.
And now when there are lots of debates about the non-inclusion of minorities, women and Dalits in the state structure, experts have started wondering whether the country needs better electoral system.
Amid these debates, Rural Development Foundation (RDF), an NGO, with the help of ESP-DFID, has translated International IDEA (Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance) Handbook on Electoral System Design into Nepali language. The book presents electoral experiences of over 200 countries around the world and discusses merits and demerits of various electoral systems in practice today.
Vidar Helgesen, Secretary General of International IDEA believes that the issue of electoral system ‘though it appears as technical is, in fact, a highly political one as they operate on broader national context.’ “Different electoral systems, he said, gives different outcomes that can have huge political implications,” he said, addressing a program last week held in Kathmandu. The program was organized by RDF to discuss the electoral systems in the backdrop of translation of the book.
According to Krishna Man Pradhan, president of RDF, “At a time when the national agenda has been set regarding writing new constitution through election of Constituent Assembly, the usefulness of the book has further increased.”
Professor of Political Science, Krishna Khanal, leader of the team of translators that translated the book into Nepali, said the book includes electoral experiences of 213 countries and independent territories around the world. There are primarily three different electoral system and 12 sub-systems.
Professor Khanal said South Africa currently practices what can be called as most accurate electoral system where a party garnering 69.69 percent of votes bagged 69.75 percent of parliamentary seats. Whereas in Nepal, in the last parliamentary election, a party that bagged 6 percent of votes did not win a single seat. He said that as the country is facing the election of Constituent Assembly (CA), the book can be quite useful in making choices among the existing First Pass The Post (FPTP), Proportional Representation (PR) or Mixed system. Professor Khanal added that personally he feels exercising FPTP system to choose fifty percent of the CA members and exercising PR to choose another fifty percent would help the country achieve inclusive democracy.
Professor Dr. Jorgen Elklit, Department of Political Science, University of Aarhus, Denmark, who is also one of the contributors of the original book, said electoral systems provide most complex of choices. He said choosing electoral system involve choosing among conflicting factors.
Addressing the program various political leaders including Arjun Narsingh KC of Nepali Congress (NC), Dr. Minendra Rijal of NC – Democratic, Bhim Rawal and Sahana Pradhan of UML conceded that the country needed to adopt a different electoral system during the time of election of CA itself. They said that it was vital to initiate dialogue among and between parties, civil society and all other stakeholders for the purpose of choosing particular electoral system.
On the other hand, Dr. Birendra Mishra, former election commission, said it was important to determine the number of CA members before deciding on electoral system.
Speaker of the House of Representatives Subas Nemwang said the debate was necessary to ascertain the nature of electoral system to follow to choose CA. “This book in front of us today will provide valuable inputs (for the debate),” he said.
Anup Raj Sharma, judge at the Supreme Court, said that issues raised in the book would be instrumental in helping us make informed choices and share experiences regarding the electoral system in the world. “Our main challenges are to ensure the inclusion of women, Dalit and backward community and our effort should be geared towards addressing them,” he said, adding that the book should be read by all Nepalis.
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