Voters’ positive role

Nepali voters have once again responded well and demonstrated their commitment to democracy and enthusiastic willingness to elect their representatives through a free and fair electoral process. As a result of the same some 41 local level bodies have witnessed their vacant posts filled properly and in time as per the prevailing laws of the country. With some 62 % of voters casting ballots on Sunday in a peaceful manner, the electoral system in the country could be termed mature and established. All concerned with polls should make sure that the trend should be carefully maintained in future. Critics of current politics obtaining in the country had not expected voters’ positive response. They had talked of people’s indifference towards democratic electoral process in a multi-dimensional manner. Some had expressed the view that “the old political parties have lost touch with the people and the gap between politicos and grass-root level is being widened by the day. The reality behind the local by-polls does not support the view. The successful completion of the by-election process in some two years after the general election should not be however taken as a guarantee for future elections. Various issues related to electoral process should therefore be taken seriously and problems related to them should be tackled in time with a sense of accountability. Voters’ education should be so continued that the question of invalid votes will not be raised in future. Since every voter is significant and every vote counts no vote should be wasted. Politicos should learn the art of telling voters the right way to participate in the polling. Innovation in voting could be introduced through proper sensitization process. The standard of campaigning could be upgraded and the way to motivate voters could be improved through decent digital methods. The high expenses currently required for fighting election should be brought down. The electoral process should not be made as expensive as it is today. There should be limit for spending money in polls. Political parties have a responsibility in this regard. They should ensure that political competition does not become something unaffordable for candidates who do not have high financial resources. Politics should after all be dedicated to the service of the people. It can never be an instrument for making money or settling transactions of sorts. Although the message of the by-election indicates maintenance of hold of old political parties, leaders should not take it as a confidence vote for their transactional politics. They cannot afford to ignore it while evaluating their performance in the by-polls.