Local Polls Bolster Democracy

Yuba Nath Lamsal

The federal structure of the state has been touted as one of the key political achievements of the Jana Andolan II of 2006 in Nepal, which was formally codified in the constitution in 2015. Under this system, there are three tiers of governments comprising central, provincial and local structures including central government, seven provincial governments and 753 local units (municipalities and village councils). This constitutional provision was already exercised and experimented over the last five years which have mixed experiences.

Now the local elections are again going to be held and the date of which is just over a month away. On May 13, 2022, the elections in all 753 local unites will be held to choose representatives for manning and running the local bodies. Political parties are on the field rolling their sleeves to muster popular support so that they can have their grip in local governments.

Foundation of democracy
This is the second time the election for the local bodies is being held after Nepal adopted the federal structure. The first election for the local bodies was held in 2017. Local bodies are what political scientist Dev Raj Dahal has called as ‘laboratories of democracy’. Local bodies are the ones that strengthen democracy at the grassroots level. In other words, local bodies are the foundation of modern democracy. The representatives of the local bodies are more directly linked with the people and the issues that have direct bearing on the people. In the absence of effective and functioning local bodies, the concept of good governance and local self-government remains only in papers.

With the announcement of the local election date, the Election Commission (EC) is working on a war footing to conduct the election on the scheduled date and in a free, fair, peaceful and credible manner. Normally, the EC seeks 100 to120 days for the preparations of the elections and the government announced the date giving sufficient time for the Commission.
Periodic elections are the basic precondition and tenets of democratic polity. But not all elections are democratic and free. Holding election alone does not meet the preconditions of a functioning democracy. Even elections are held under authoritarian regimes but such elections are mere show pieces and often doctored to deceive the international community. Such elections do not reflect the people’s free choice.

The real election should be free, fair and impartial in practice wherein the voters exercise their franchise without an iota of fear, pressure and influence. Democratic elections must meet and maintain certain universally accepted standards and norms. If these universally accepted principles, standards and norms are not met, the entire exercise of holding the election will merely be a farce. Perhaps national and international observers, too, will monitor the election process and voting procedures to ensure that the sanctity of democratic election is maintained and no anomalies will be allowed in the entire process.

Holding elections is a long tradition and practice in Nepal. Even during the party-less Panchayat regime, elections used to be held but that was not on multi-party basis but on individual basis. The elections during the Panchayat were not construed as genuine and democratic ones as those opposing the regime were not often allowed to contest the elections and there was the pre-condition that the candidate had to take the membership of any of the sister organisations of the Panchayat.

The EC is the constitutional body that has the sole authority and responsibility of holding elections. It existed even during the Panchayat era and conducted several elections. But it was only after the restoration of multiparty democracy in 1990 the elections on pluralistic basis started being held. Since the multiparty democracy was reinstated in 1990, three parliamentary elections and two local elections were held. After the 2006 political change, two elections for the Constituent Assembly were held and the second Constituent Assembly delivered a new democratic and inclusive constitution which, for the first time in the history of the country, declared Nepal as a federal democratic republic.

The new constitution has not only transformed the country from the unitary state to federal structure but also stipulated the mixed type of election — the first past the post and the proportionate representation in order to ensure representation of different ethnic communities, gender and regions. This is a new but successful experiment in bringing the hitherto unrepresented and under-represented communities and section into the mainstream of the politics and decision-making. However, the representatives of the local bodies namely municipalities and village councils are elected directly from the people under the first past the post system.

Local elections provide best opportunity to directly reach out to the people. In fact, the local representatives are the ones who have direct touch with the people and familiar with the local needs and problems. The local election, therefore, builds strong bonds between the people and the representatives and parties. The voters need to choose the best from among the candidates not based on political leaning but based on the competence, honesty and integrity of the person. This will make the local bodies more effective, functional and deliver services in the true spirit of good governance.

Popular participation
Democracy is an arduous process that constantly needs to keep people involved in the democratic decision making. This is accomplished through popular participation in the electoral process. Election is the system which makes politics responsive and accountable. The election is not merely a one day event on the polling day but a constant and continuous process right from the formulation of election policies and laws to preparing electoral rolls, educating the voters and voting and vote counting.

If democracy is to deliver and be functional, citizens at all levels must be empowered with voice and vote. The local governments are the most important and their activities and performance have direct impact on the lives of people. Thus, it is imperative to strengthen local governments to ensure that democracy takes strong roots at the grassroots level. This alone elevates the quality of democracy. Thus, it is the duty of all eligible voters to participate in the local election and choose the genuine representatives to run the local governments.

(The author is former ambassador and former chief editor of this daily. lamsalyubanath@gmail.com)