Whose President is Paudel?

The Himalayan Times

17 March 2023

The Constituent Assembly declared Nepal as a federal democratic republic after unconstitutionally dethroning the 240-year-old monarchy in May 2008. A new constitution was promulgated in 2015. Since then, Nepal has seen three presidents, including the recently elected NC senior leader Ram Chandra Poudel “Ramchandra Paudel sworn in as third president”(March 14, Page 1). Poudel, who was a common candidate of eight-party alliance that included NC and the CPN (Maoist Center), was elected to the post of the country’s head of the state by securing a total of 33802 votes. The President is elected by an electoral college composed of the members of the federal parliament and the provincial assemblies.

The president is required to play largely a ceremonial role as per the constitution, however, s/he can play a crucial role if there a political crises arises. Analysts say the biggest challenge for the new President is to maintain an impartial constitutional role considering the controversial roles played by the previous presidents. The presidential election was held at such a time when none of the major political parties were able to secure majority votes in the last year’s November federal election, compelling the nation to experience a hung parliament and a fragile coalition government. The newly elected president seems to be immediately facing a political crisis, as the Supreme Court is about to hear a petition demanding PM Dahal’s arrest for publicly confessing the killing 5,000 people during the decade-long civil war.

The major political parties as well as the fringe parties, either ruling or opposition, acted in such a way as if they were nominating their President rather than the President for the nation. Can we be convinced that the new president of the eight parties will act impartially? Otherwise, what prevented them to go for the apolitical person possessing the required criteria to be the president rather than party-affiliated person? The nation has already experienced politically affiliated presidents who could not remain uncontroversial.

Rai Biren Bangdel

Maharajgunj

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