SLMM ‘open’ to 601 CA seat idea

KATHMANDU, AUG 01 -
The Samyukta Loktantrik Madhesi Morcha (SLMM) on Wednesday decided to demonstrate “flexibility” on the number of seats for the upcoming elections. They indicated willingness to keep the number at the previous 601 against the now agreed 491.

It also demanded that the government re-open the voter registration process for one month. The Election Commission, however, said it cannot resume the registration drive if elections are to be held as scheduled on November 19.

Madhesi leaders said the move on the number of seats is intended to bring poll-opposing parties on board the election process. “Upendra Yadav (Madhesi Janadhikar Forum-Nepal) and Ashok Rai (Federal Socialist Party-Nepal) have been demanding that the previous seats under the proportional representation category be retained. If increasing the seats brings them on board,

we are flexible on the matter,” said Senior Vice-chairman of the Madhesi Janadhikar Forum-Loktantrik Ramesh-wor Raya Yadav.

The Madhesi Morcha’s former coalition partner, the UCPN (Maoist), has also shown willingness to increase the number of seats.

In a meeting, the SLMM, an alliance of five parties, also agreed that the Constituent Assembly elections should be held as scheduled on November 19. Leaders said that the only way to secure a constitution is drafting it through the CA.

Second-rung leaders of the Morcha, along with those of the Nepali Congress, CPN-UML and the UCPN (Maoist), have been piling pressure on the top leadership of different parties represented at the High-level Political Committee (HLPC) to look for options to bring the poll-opposing parties on board the election process.

Meanwhile, the SLMM demanded that the government re-open voter registration for a month. The government closed the registration drive across the country in mid-July.

The demand comes at a time when the Election Commission (EC) is planning to complete voter roll processing by mid-August.

General Secretary of the Sadbhawana Party Manish Suman  said many eligible voters across the country have not been able to register themselves in the new system with photos and finger prints after the EC made citizenship certificates a must for citizens to get enlisted.

Chief Election Commissioner Neel Kantha Uprety, however, told the Post that the SLMM’s demand cannot be met if Constituent Assembly elections are to be held on November 19. “We have a tight schedule. It will be tough for us to resume the voter registration process and also hold the elections in November,” he said.

In meetings of the HLPC, the Morcha had floated the idea of re-opening the registration process for 15 days. While the NC was reportedly positive on re-opening the process for a week, the UML and the UCPN (Maoist) were dead against it.

As the EC wrapped up the voter registration drive, the Supreme Court had on July 23 ordered the government and the EC to update the voter roll without citizenship certificates. Buoyed by the apex court’s verdict, Madhes-based parties have been demanding resumption of the registration campaign.

SLMM leaders were scheduled to meet EC officials to formally make the request on Wednesday. However, they had to cancel the plan due to ‘time constraints.’ “We were informed of their arrival at the EC, but they had been there after office hours,” said CEC Uprety.

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