Provinces Can't Fall In Electoral Shadow

With only less than a week left in run up to the elections of federal and provincial parliaments, the country is now witnessing the poll campaign running at its peak. This is the second general elections being held under the new constitution promulgated in 2015. On November 20, Nepalis will vote to elect 275 members of the House of Representatives (HoR) and 550 provincial assembly members. Altogether 60 per cent of the seats of both HoR and provincial assemblies will be elected through the first-past-the-post (FPTP) and the remaining through the proportional representation systems. Each election constituency has three seats – one for HoR and two seats for provincial assembly. As the elections to the HoR gained traction from the political point of view, the provincial candidates are seemingly unable to turn the electoral spotlight on them. 

Despite their importance in enhancing federal administration, the provincial elections have fallen under the shadow of federal elections. Many voters, whom this daily talked to, have said that they are not well informed about the candidates fighting for the provincial assemblies. They have even admitted that they do not feel that the provincial polls are being conducted. The young and the first time voters have shared that they do not know who are in the fray at the provincial level. They are also not aware as to which provincial constituency they live in. Their ignorance and confusion largely arose because the Election Commission, the political parties and the candidates have failed to inform them about the provincial election as they have attached priority to the federal polls. The voters also face confusion as the EC's website lacks searchable database to find the names of candidates standing for the seats of provincial assemblies.

The provincial candidates are not receiving proper attention also because the parties are spending resources on promoting the candidates vying for the seats in the federal parliament. It is natural for the common voters to pay greater attention to the federal contestants because they are the ones who will call the shots if they make it to the powerful legislature where the lawmakers elect the new national government leadership, pass important legislations, raise the burning public issues and keep an eye on the activities of the government. But the lack of awareness on the provincial polls do not bode well for the consolidation of federal republican system. It is not that the provinces bear lesser value. Nepal’s constitution has envisioned a three-tier of government – federal, provincial and local. The provinces form vital component of federal system that is based on the principle of self-rule and shared power. 

Nepal is practicing the cooperative and coordinative federalism. In the last five years, the three-tier governments have been able to promote a culture of cooperation among them. The state has spent considerable amount of budget to develop physical infrastructure and institutional mechanisms to strengthen provinces. The provincial governments have set out development roadmaps and built various projects to benefit the people despite the fact that they lack adequate financial and human resources, policy coordination with the centre and rights and powers as stipulated by the constitution. The provinces need to be equipped with sufficient budget and legal rights to deal with their challenges related to development, security and social welfare. The November-20 polls should set another milestone in institutionalising provinces that mediate between the centre and local government to institutionalise federal democratic republic established with the struggles and sacrifices of the people.