Value of vote

The value of vote is always great and noble because of its power to express people’s will and aspiration. The value of vote in Nepal General Election 2022 could, in this vein, be described as carrying great relevance and significance in the context of the country’s development and institutionalization of democracy. The leadership picked up by people during the democratic exercise will actually offer direction to future of the people who are currently suffering from a number of problems such as unemployment, high cost of living, frequent natural disasters, frequent public health crisis, loss in agriculture, fall of trust in government, public institutions meant to guarantee public services, corruption and absence of effective governance. The political parties and leaders who win the trust of people in the polls will have to deliver in the real sense of the word while seeking to respond to those problems. All of them could of course not be addressed at one time and overnight. They have to use knowledge and experience for tackling them with speed and focused attention. For the same they have to guarantee political stability and economic stability over a period of five years or the period-2023-2027-parliamentary term. Nepalis will have to use their wisdom and experience in electing their representatives. Carelessness in this regard could result in wrong selection which could be instrumental in not solving but adding to problems. That would be a great loss for people and the country in such rapidly changing times. As preparation for the polls get underway in multiple fronts organizers, participants in competition and voters, the real time decision makers, information about candidates, their programmes, competence and trust-level should be widely accessible. In absence of the same people will not be informed well. Poll-organizers should ensure free flow of information about candidates for enabling voters to be informed. They should adopt all methods – traditional and digital – to reach as many people and as many places including remote areas as possible. Voter education in the real sense of the term should be practically implemented at the grass-root level of villages and cities. Voter education should also take into consideration the two types of polls – the federal parliamentary and seven provincial assemblies-level. Both demand specific information for enabling voters to decide. The trend to spread disinformation about polls and candidates has to be checked while allowing all – the social media, the mass media and other information providers – to function democratically. The preparation for polls so far appears impressive and the same should continue until the whole electoral process is completed.