Kathmandu- The Election Commission has held consultations with political parties regarding the bill related to the amendment and consolidation of election laws, which was earlier returned by the government. During the discussion, parties expressed differing views on issues including voting rights for Nepalis living abroad, the proportional representation system, candidate eligibility, and women’s representation.

During the consultation, Rastriya Swatantra Party leader Ramnarayan Dhungana stressed the need to ensure voting rights for Nepalis living abroad and to manage inter-district voters effectively. Similarly, CPN-UML leader Niraj Acharya suggested conducting a detailed study and making necessary legal arrangements to grant voting rights to overseas Nepalis.

Nepal Communist Party leader Mukti Pradhan said that only Nepalis working abroad with official labor permits should be granted voting rights, while Nepal Workers and Peasants Party leader Prem Suwal opposed providing voting rights to Nepalis living abroad.

Meanwhile, Rastriya Janamorcha leader Manoj Bhatt suggested removing the threshold provision in the proportional representation electoral system.

Political parties participating in the discussion requested additional time to study the bill and said they would submit written suggestions to the Commission. Election Commission spokesperson Bhattarai said that the bill would be forwarded to the government after incorporating feedback from political parties and other stakeholders.

The bill proposes that individuals who have already been elected twice through the proportional representation system in the House of Representatives or Provincial Assemblies would no longer be eligible to contest again under the same system. It also includes a provision preventing individuals from contesting elections from another party without formally resigning from their current political party.

To increase women’s representation, the bill proposes making at least 33 percent female candidacy mandatory under the first-past-the-post electoral system. It also proposes that at least one of the positions of chairperson or vice-chairperson at the local level must be held by a woman, along with ensuring a minimum of 33 percent female candidacy for ward chairpersons.

The proposed bill also includes provisions allowing Nepali citizens living abroad, whose names are included in the voter list, to vote in proportional representation elections for the House of Representatives through Nepali diplomatic missions abroad.

Additionally, the bill proposes using domestic materials as much as possible during elections and introducing a “None of the Above” option on ballot papers. If this option receives more than 50 percent of the valid votes cast, the election would be cancelled under the proposed provision.