Election is for popular government: Senior Advocate
Kathmandu, Nov. 24- Senior lawyers have warned that the decision of the political parties not to participate in the upcoming municipal elections would be harmful for the health of the nation giving way to further crisis.The decision would create a sort of hindrance in the process of democratisation of the country, as it was the fundamental right of the citizens to take part in the election, they added. “They urged the political parties to withdraw the decision of not participating in the election.”

Senior advocate Sarbagya Ratna Tuladhar said, “Election should be the demand of the political parties and not that of His Majesty, it would not make any difference to His Majesty even if the elections are not held.” Gorkhapatra reports.

It was unclear why the political parties feared the elections, when they should have demanded for it. They should make the elections their prime agenda, he said.The democratic system would not run smoothly without the people’s representatives. “Hence, the election is the only means to form a popular government,” he said.The political parties did not have any substantial grounds and logic behind not participating in the elections, he said adding, “There was no alternative provisions in our Constitution-1990 to form an elected government except by going to the polls.”Facing and holding the election was the only exit to cope with the present state of crisis, he said.It was political parties’ responsibility to normalize the situation and give the way out, as soon as possible by participating in the upcoming election, he said.

Advocate Balkrishna Neupane said that election was the only medium to protect the present Constitution-1990 and activate its democratic provisions. It is the duty of the political parties to protect and activate the Constitution, he said.“If elections cannot be held on time then things would go out of hand, Neupane said.Advocate Neupane added that the political parties should immediately stop seeking foreigners’ support instead of forgetting and undermining the faith and strength of the people of their own nation.

Advocate Ashok Nath Tiwari said that talking of escaping from the election was against the democratic norms and practices in the multiparty democratic system and it is equal to depriving the people from using their fundamental rights. “To face the election is not only the rights of democratic people but also a great responsibility on their part.”The political parties should face the election to strengthen democracy and to activate the constitution in the present state, he said questioning—those political parties are attacking the backbone of democracy by deciding of not participating in the election, he said.

Advocate Sundarlal Chaudhary said those political parties should not deprive the people of their voting rights in the pretext of not participating in the election, he said.The political parties should not forget and undermine that the election was the only means to choose the people’s representatives, he said.

Working member of the Supreme Court Bar Association advocate Raj Kumar Thapa said that the vacuum was created in the local bodies when the then government of the agitating political parties could not hold the local elections which was initially slated for 2059 BS.