‘Fully proportional electoral system needed’

Kathmandu: Leaders of different political parties and senior advocates have called for opting for the fully-proportional electoral system in the country.

At a programme organised to release a book entitled “Electoral System in Nepal: A Comparative Study” by senior advocate Dr Chandra Kant Gyawali on Saturday, the politicians and advocates said that the existing electoral system was costlier and was a cause for political instability, as well as lacked a fully proportional feature.

On the occasion, Chairman of Janata Samajwadi Party Upendra Yadav viewed that the existing electoral system should be changed, also to make it inexpensive. He added that we have to embrace a new electoral system so that candidates from all classes can contest the polls.

“The current electoral system should be changed. The Prime Minister and Members of Parliament should be elected from the directly-elected system,” according to Yadav.

Likewise, CPN (Maoist Centre) leader Rekha Sharma said that fully-proportional electoral system and directly-elected executive head would end instability in the country.

She argued that the provision of making ministers to the lawmakers has shrunk their role in the lawmaking process.

Also speaking at the event, CPN (Unified Socialist) leader Prakash Jwala voiced for new electoral system to adopt the directly-elected executive head in the country. “Based on the existing experience, the electoral system should be c hanged. This (electoral system) failed to ensure stability and feeling of republic,” Jwala added.

Similarly, former chief election commissioner Nilkantha Upreti also argued that fully electoral system was appropriate to ensure representation of all classes and groups, and for a stable government.

Former Attorney General Dr Dinmani Pokhrel called for further debates on selecting an appropriate electoral system while Attorney General Ramesh Badal argued for effective operation of the current mixed electoral system adding that frequent changes in the electoral system would plunge us into an abyss of political instability.

Writer of the book Dr Gyawali said that election constituencies should be determined to ensure inclusive representation under the first-past-the-post electoral system by ending the provision of proportional seat in the current electoral system.