Experts and political leaders at the Kantipur Conclave 2024 emphasised the need for reforms in electoral systems as well as practices to strengthen Nepal’s democracy.

Speaking at the session ‘Electoral reform: Policy or practice?’ on the second day of the conclave, Chief Election Commissioner Dinesh Thapaliya called for enhanced structural and policy reforms to empower Nepal’s election commission.

Thapaliya outlined key challenges and areas for reform, highlighting that Nepal’s constitution already provides a framework for electoral procedures.

However, he said the system needs ongoing improvements in governance, law, policy, and operational mechanisms to address structural shortcomings.

Thapaliya stressed on the need for making the election commission autonomous allowing it to function more independently and as per its own plans.

He noted that, unlike in other nations, Nepal’s election commission often remains uninformed about election schedules until the government designates a date, which he sees as an obstacle to effective electoral management. “The commission itself doesn’t know when it has to conduct an election until the government fixes an election date,” he said.

Thapaliya highlighted issues with voter registration, explaining that while the process is straightforward, challenges remain in ensuring all eligible citizens have access to vote. He questioned whether it should be the commission’s role to reach voters directly rather than relying on individuals to register themselves, stressing that solving this issue would significantly improve election management.

Also speaking, former chief election commissioner of India S Y Quraishi said that meaningful electoral reform requires strong political will and party consensus—both often lacking in South Asia.

He said key issues such as inclusiveness, money, power, and criminal influence remain the major electoral challenges in the region.

Quraishi commended Nepal’s progress describing its constitution as more progressive than India’s, particularly regarding women’s representation.

“While India only recently enacted a law for 33 percent women’s reservation in parliament, effective from 2029, Nepal achieved this milestone in 2015. Nepal’s local bodies also provide substantial power to women, marking a significant step forward in governance reform in South Asia,” he said.

Reflecting on India’s challenges, Quraishi stated that female representation in India has remained below 10 percent for most of its 75-year history, only recently reaching 11 percent.

“Despite politicians’ claims that women face low election chances due to limited funding, data since 1951 shows women having a 50 percent higher success rate than male candidates. In states like West Bengal and Odisha, leaders such as Mamata Banerjee and Navin Patnaik have allocated a high proportion of tickets to women, resulting in strong performances without relying on reserved seats,” he said.

Regarding election financing, Quraishi criticised India’s system of imposing spending limits on individual candidates but not on political parties, which he argued doesn’t ensure a level playing field for all contestants. He advocated for a cap on both candidate and party expenditures.

Likewise, UML General Secretary Shankar Pokhrel urged major reforms to Nepal’s electoral system, blaming the mixed election methods for political instability and frequent government changes.

Regarding election policies, Pokhrel recommended raising the election threshold to 5 percent for national and provincial seats to strengthen governance stability. At present political parties in Nepal must secure at least 3 percent of total votes under the proportional representation (PR) in the House of Representatives and 1.5 in a provincial assembly to be eligible to get PR seats.

He argued that Nepal’s current mixed electoral system prevents any party from gaining a clear majority. According to Pokhrel, this system has contributed to political instability, making it challenging to form stable governments. He suggested ensuring proportional representation even through directly elected seats.

The general secretary of the ruling party said there are no barriers to amending election laws, and a broader consensus is needed to amend the constitution.

Pokhrel said that strengthening the federal system requires more than just electoral reforms. Speaking on federal governance, he highlighted that “electoral reforms are a part of the solution, but not the entire answer.” He noted the absence of key laws, including the Civil Service Act, Police Act, and Education Act, while noting that several existing laws need to be further aligned with the constitutional framework, making urgent review essential.

Pokhrel underscored the need for a robust provincial structure, criticising the federal parliament for weakening provinces by limiting their access to natural resources. “Federal systems typically empower provinces, but in Nepal, resource limitations have hindered provinces from achieving full effectiveness in the federal framework,” he said.

Also speaking, Janamat Party Chairperson and federal lawmaker CK Raut said Nepal’s proportional system is essential for inclusion in a country with over 125 languages and communities. “Nepal is a hugely diverse country, and I believe proportional representation is crucial for us,” he said.

Raut raised serious concerns about the growing debate in Nepal regarding adopting a two-party system purportedly for political stability. He warned that implementing such a system could harm the country's inclusivity.

“If stability requires abandoning inclusivity, then was there stability during King Mahendra’s reign? Was there stability during King Birendra’s time?” Raut questioned. “Are we seeking the same kind of stability again? The two-party system being promoted dominantly today mirrors King Mahendra’s one-language, one-uniform policy, which I find even more dangerous,” he said.