"Fifteen parties did not meet the one-third women requirement"Kåre Vollan

Electoral system expert Kåre Vollan is recently in Nepal. He analyses the possible scenario based on elections results. In an interaction organised by Kathmandu University School of Law (KUSL), Vollan spoke on various issues with the experts and newl

By
A Correspondent

Dec. 16, 2013, 5:45 p.m. Published in Magazine Issue: Vol: 07 No. -12 Dec. 13- 2013 (Mangsir 28, 2070)

How do you see the CA elections results?

According to Amendment of Constituent Assembly Act, 2013, there are 335 List PR, 26 Appointees 240 FPTP as it kept 601 in total exactly as in 2008.

How do you analyse the figures?

The Elections Commisison's record shows that there were 4,914 candidates nominated for FPTP. Out of which 1,115 were independent, 667 were women (13.6 %) and 122 parties filed lists for List PR. However, only 13 parties had «long lists» (more than 100 candidates. Fifteen parties did not meet the one-third women requirement.

How do you see the overall scenario?

Out of 4,914 candidates nominated for FPTP,115 were independent, 667 were women (13.6 %), 122 parties filed lists for List PR. However, only 13 parties had long lists (more than 100 candidates. Fifteen parties did not meet the one-third women requirement.

How do you see the results and turnouts ?

Under FPTP, 12,147,865 numbers of voters were registered.However, total votes in FPTP are 9,516,724, 78.3 % andInvalid votes in FPTP: 471,826 (4.96 %).The number of registered voters in PR was 12,249,062.Total votes in List PR 9,778,703, 79.82 %Invalid votes in List PR: 312,841 (3.20 %). Ten parties won seats, plus two independent candidates. Ten women elected, down from thirty in 2008

What is the state of marginal candidates in FPTP?

Party candidates, 167 candidates won from 0 to 10 votes and 2,215 won from 0 to 100 votes. Independent candidates, seven won from 0 to ten votes and 68 won from 0 to 100 votes.

What about the results in PR list?

30 parties won seats in List PR. All the parties winning FPTP seats also won List PR seats so the total of parties in the CA is 30, plus the two independent candidates. In List PR there were 10 one-seat parties. The lowest share to win a seat was 0.22 %, the same as in 2008.

How do you see the state of Madhesi based parties?

Madhesi parties had split in a number of parties. In 2008, five Madhesi parties won 12.0 per cent of the List PR votes, with Madhesi People's Rights Forum, Nepal being the biggest with 6.3 per cent of the votes and 22 FPTP seats. In 2013, 24 Madhesi parties won all together 12.1 % of the votes, with Madhesi Janaadhikar Forum (Loktantrik) as the biggest with 3.0 per cent of the votes and 4 FPTP seats (needs to be verified).

How do you see the scenario of 2008 results including in short and long lists?

In 2008, 58 seats were won by parties registering short lists. This was down to 47 seats this time, which meant that the inclusiveness would be better. Out of the thirteen long list parties, only eleven won seats.

What are the Challenges?

On 3 December 21, out of the 30 parties winning List PR seats collected their letter and the results form. The rest were sent to parties’ addresses.Submitting candidates to fill winning seats is major challenge.Other challenge is to pursue UCPN-Maoist which says they will not select such candidates.