Kathmandu, June 8

The Election Commission will write letters to all political parties in a couple of days telling them to ensure 33 per cent representation of women in their committees, including central committee.

Assistant Spokesperson for the EC Mukunda Sharma said that the polls panel would write letters to all the political parties registered with the EC  to meet the legal criterion of ensuring 33 per cent representation of women.

There are over a dozen political parties registered at the EC.

The EC registered Nepal Communist Party (NCP) on Wednesday without the party ensuring 33 per cent women representation in the CC.

A source at the EC said that the polls panel had decided to give three months’ time to all the political parties to fulfil legal criterion. The source said the EC would strictly follow up its letters to enforce compliance of Section 15 (4) of the Political Party Registration Act, which stipulates that parties should ensure 33 per cent representation of women. EC sources said that none of the parties has fulfilled this criterion. “NCP (NCP) should have complied with the law,” the source said.

Sources said one election commissioner had proposed to give only one month to the NCP (NCP) to ensure 33 per cent representation of women but others proposed to give three months to all the parties including the NCP (NCP) to fulfil the legal obligation.