A dozen amendments have been filed to the bills related to elections for Federal Parliament and Provincial Assemblies seeking to scrap the proportional representation system and to increase the threshold level for representation in the assemblies.

Nepali Congress lawmaker Ramhari Khatiwada registered amendments to both the bills seeking to scrap the PR system at both levels. He suggests that only lawmakers getting elected first-past-the-post (FPTP) should have participation in the House of Representatives and the provincial assemblies. He argues that those elected for proportional representation should be sent to the Upper House.

The bill related to the Election of Federal Parliament envisages 165 FPTP and 110 PR seats. While, the Provincial Parliament election bill proposes twice the number of FPTP winners in Federal Parliament, meaning 330 in total. Forty percent representation in the provincial assemblies would be proportional.

In addition to Khatiwada’s proposal, six and five amendments have been registered for each bill. Lawmakers can file their proposal until Wednesday evening, which will then be tabled in the House for vote.

CPN-UML lawmaker Rameshwor Phuyal has sought to impose a five percent threshold for parties to qualify for PR seats.

“Five percent threshold is necessary for an effective political system in the country,” he said. His proposal contradicts those of over a dozen fringe parties that are against a threshold since that “goes against the spirit of a multiparty democracy”. The smaller forces are preparing to file amendments on Wednesday seeking to scrap the threshold provision. Phuyal also proposes holding the election of Federal Parliament on Mangsir 4 every five years.

The government presented the bills on Thursday, imposing a 1.5 to 3 percent threshold for the parties to be eligible for representation in the House.

The bills have provision that any party failing to win at least one position under the FPTP system and not securing a minimum three percent PR votes will not get proportional representation seats. Any force winning seats in the FPTP that fails to secure 3 percent votes will be represented as a party of independents.