Wake Up, Election Commission: Curb the Soaring Cost of Elections
Summary
Nepal's election system faces challenges of high costs and corruption, undermining democratic fairness. Proposals include public financing of campaigns, transparency measures, and inclusivity reforms to reduce financial burdens on candidates and strengthen democracy.
Key Points
- Nepal's election system faces high costs and corruption due to reliance on private donations and lack of transparency.
- Public financing is proposed as a key reform to reduce candidate expenses and corruption by providing government funds for campaigns.
- Other reforms include transparency in party finances, internal party democracy, gender and ethnic representation, and new voter options such as 'No Vote'.
- The Election Commission has made efforts to enforce laws but progress is slow; comprehensive reforms and strong enforcement are needed to restore trust and ensure fair elections.
