Peaceful Poll Process

With the nomination of candidates in all 165 constituencies of the House of Representatives (HoR) on Tuesday, the country is now gripped by election fervor. The high enthusiasm shown by all political parties and their candidates in filing their nominations across the country peacefully indicates that the elections will be held on the scheduled date of March 5 without hindrance, and a new parliament will be formed, ending the political transition triggered by the Gen Z movement last September. The interim government formed under Prime Minister Sushila Karki to conduct the elections to the Lower House, dissolved in the wake of the Gen Z uprising, has succeeded in creating a conducive environment and winning the confidence of political parties and their leaders. 

Even those who were opposing the elections until a few weeks ago, citing security concerns, have joined the process. Chiefs of all political parties and four former prime ministers, including KP Sharma Oli, have registered their nominations. Among active former prime ministers, only Sher Bahadur Deuba of the Nepali Congress and Jhalanath Khanal of the Nepali Communist Party have stayed away from the electoral race.

With all political parties and their leaders joining the election fray, Prime Minister Karki appeared satisfied with her government's performance, as reflected in her statement issued after the conclusion of the candidacy nominations process on Tuesday night. She said Nepal had reached a decisive milestone in its democratic journey following the successful registration of more than 3,400 candidates for the upcoming parliamentary elections. She also said that the smooth completion of nominations has set the stage for the March election. Stating that the zeal demonstrated in filing nominations had infused positive energy not only in the political circle but also in the private sector, she expressed gratitude to the Election Commission for its efficient management in electoral process.  

The overwhelming participation of political parties and independent candidates in filing their nominations is encouraging.  More importantly, the notable participation of youth leaders from both old and new parties implies that the new parliament will be dominated by fresh faces. However, the number of women candidates remains disappointing. According to the Election Commission, 3,484 candidates have filed their nominations. Of them, 2,797 are candidates from 68 parties and 1,087 independents.  Of the total, only 395 are women, while 3,088 are men. In terms of age, the largest number of candidates are from the age group of 36-50 years at 1,610, while 29 candidates belong to the age group of 25-35 years. Only 165 candidates aged over 65 have filed their nominations this time.

The growing participation of younger leaders shows that national politics is gradually shifting towards the new generation. One of the key demands of the Gen Z movement was to free politics from the grip of old leaders.   Now that the nomination process has concluded, political parties and the candidates should conduct their campaign peacefully, strictly abiding by the election code of conduct. 

They must shun violence and refrain from spreading misinformation, hate speech, and personal attacks against rivals to preserve the current peaceful environment. Meanwhile, the government has reiterated its commitment to maintaining law and order. Prime Minister Karki said there would be no compromise on security arrangements, while Home Minister Om Prakash Aryal has assured full enforcement of the rule of law.  These commitments from the government, along with the eagerness shown by the parties, have laid a strong foundation for peaceful polls.