Existing Election System: Cause of political uncertainty

Experts and political leaders emphasize the need for reforms in the electoral system and practices to strengthen our democracy which may need major changes in the existing electoral system and enhanced structural and policy reforms to empower election commission.

The incumbent coalition government composed of Nepali Congress and CPN (UML) had committed to bring about reforms in the existing electoral system when it assumed the rein of the government almost six months ago. The NC and UML senior leaders held the views that recurring political instability and uncertainty in the country has been engendered due to the mixed electoral system in which proportional representation takes sizable share in the composition of the federal and provincial parliament. As a result, no single party can afford to muster majority seats in the parliament. This puts the smaller or medium-sized parties into the vital role to bargain into making or unmaking of the government.

However, two big parties’ ruling government have not yet initiated any discussions to reform the electoral system though they have pledged such a change would be brought about through consensus with recourse to broad based discussion among the political and social stakeholders.

If they continue to lingering the amendment process in the existing electoral system, the political uncertainty will continue to plague the nation thus pushing it towards a failed state.