Miscellaneous
Parties to report progress towards inclusion
The Election Commission has asked the parties to ensure “proportional inclusiveness” in their executive committees and to report the progress.The Election Commission has asked the parties to ensure “proportional inclusiveness” in their executive committees and to report the progress.
The EC call comes at a time when questions are being raised about the inclusive character of the largest Nepali Congress as the party holds its general convention and other parties for not doing much to be inclusive as required by the new constitution.
In a statement on Thursday, the EC asked the political parties to make their organisations proportionally inclusive.
Commissioner Ila Sharma said the constitutional body would decide the nature
of action against the parties that fail to make their organisations inclusive to reflect the country’s demographic character after studying their response.
The new constitution requires at least one third women in the parties’ executive committees which have to incorporate marginalised and backward communities in the ratio ensured by the constitution. According to reports, only 17 percent women representatives were elected for the NC general convention and enough female candidates are not being fielded for officer bearer positions.
The EC has proposed scrapping a party’s registration if it fails to make its organisation proportionally inclusive through representation of the marginalised and backward communities.
The proposed Political Party Related Act-2072 provisions 33 percent women, eight percent Dalits and other marginalised communities in the party structures.
The EC has already started consultations with key stakeholders including the parties for parliamentary approval of the legislation.