Kathmandu: A delegation comprising four members of the first Constituent Assembly (2008-2012) met with Prime Minister Sushila Karki on Sunday to advocate for a legal guarantee of 50 percent women’s candidacy in the direct electoral system for the upcoming election scheduled for March 5, 2026.
According to National News Agency Nepal, the delegation included former parliamentarians Renu Chand, Dr. Binda Pandey, Amrita Thapa Magar, and Sunil Babu Pant. They urged the Prime Minister to ensure that half of the candidates in the first-past-the-post electoral system are women. The delegation emphasized the importance of implementing this measure to enhance women’s representation in Parliament.
Prime Minister Karki assured the delegation that she would bring the matter up for discussion in the Council of Ministers, as stated by her press coordinator Ram Bahadur Rawal. The Prime Minister also pointed out the necessity of exploring ways to reduce election costs, highlighting that the increasing expenses have contributed to corruption and electoral misconduct.
The delegation expressed concern that although the Constitution supports the principle of proportional inclusion, it has not been fully actualized. They stressed the need for the government to address this issue by introducing an ordinance. Dr. Pandey highlighted that without a legal requirement, political parties seldom nominate women candidates in direct elections, leading to a gap in women’s representation. She also called for the proportional representation of Dalits, ethnic groups, and other marginalized communities.
Additionally, rights activists Usha Kiran Timsena, Samjhana Paudel, and Pratiksha Chapagain were part of the delegation, supporting the call for increased representation of women in the upcoming elections.