PM Dahal calls for effective implementation of constitution

Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’ has urged all for the true implementation of the constitution, as the political system and the constitutional document, he said, are for the overall welfare of people.

He made this remark at an event organised here today to present the preliminary findings of a study on electoral reforms, jointly by the Election Commission and the Policy Research Institute.

“We got the constitution through great sacrifices of the people. Around seven decades have been invested for it. Our constitution is a document of political consensus and agreement. There are various views on a variety of subjects of the document. There might be differences on some of them. But, its effective implementation is our collective responsibility,” he said.

On the amendment of the constitution, he said there might be problems and shortcomings in it. But, they can be spotted only after the document goes into full implementation, he said. “Only then, there may be a review. Early review may invite political instability,” he suggested.

On the occasion, former Prime Ministers Madhav Kumar Nepal and Jhalanath Khanal, Nepali Congress leader Dr Pushpa Bhusal, CPN (UML) leader Ramesh Badal, Rastriya Swatantra Party’s central ember Ganesh Parajuli, Rastriya Prajatanra Party co general secretary Jhanak Pyakurel and CPN (Unified Socialist)’s Ramesh Kumar Bhattarai said there were no urgency to revise the Constitution when the electoral system was itself in the course of gradual reforms.

They stressed the need of ensuring further impartiality and of discouraging possible extravagancy during the election.

Janata Samajbadi Party leader Prakash Adhikari, Loktantrik Samajbadi Party Keshab Jha, Janamat Party’s Surendra Narayan, Nagarik Unmukti Party’s Ganga Ram Chaudhary, Rastriya Janamorcha’s Chitra Bahadur KC, and Nepal Workers and Peasants’ Party’s Prem Suwal were among those highlighting the need to revise the form of governance and the electoral system.

During the programme, Chief Election Commissioner, Dinesh Kumar Thapaliya, pledged to continue with the discourses on electoral reforms and election management procedures. Stating that a draft of the integrated electoral law had been already prepared, he urged the parliament to endorse the document.

Sharing the findings of the study, Institute’s Executive Director Dr Bishnu Raj Upreti presented arguments and opinions for and against directly elected executive, primary election within the party to nominate candidates, full proportional electoral system, e-voting, franchise for Nepalis citizens abroad, selection of minister from non-parliamentarians, status of political parties and independent candidacies in the local-level elections and so on.