Miscellaneous
NC, UML lawmakers for 3-5 pc election threshold
Lawmakers from major political parties have demanded the provision of election threshold in the new constitution to limit the number of parties in Legislature-Parliament.Lawmakers from major political parties have demanded the provision of election threshold in the new constitution to limit the number of parties in Legislature-Parliament.
If a threshold is not set, no party would get a majority, they said while deliberating on the draft constitution in the Constituent Assembly (CA) on Friday.
The lawmakers have suggested that there should be an election threshold of three to five percent for the parties to secure seats in Parliament.
The issue of election threshold is one of the sticking points in the ongoing constitution drafting process. While the major parties, mainly Nepali Congress and CPN-UML, are in favour of setting an election threshold, regional and fringe parties are against it.
UML lawmaker Bishal Bhattarai said that election threshold was the only way to ensure stable government.
NC lawmaker Ram Hari Khatiwada said the parties which are not recognised as national parties should not get representation in the CA.
The parties have agreed adopt mixed electoral system in the new constitution.
Former Prime Minister and UML senior leader Jhala Nath Khanal said that the constitution drafting process should not be delayed on any pretexts.
He said that a constitution is not a conclusive document and it will always have room for amendment.
Khanal also assured that the the genuine demands of the Tharus and other marginalised communities should be addressed through dialogue.