Kathmandu, March 5:

An appropriate state mechanism should be chosen for Nepal, taking into account its multi-lingual, multi-ethnic characteristics and its geopolitical situation, said CP Mainali, leader of the CPN (ML), here today.

Speaking at an interaction programme on ‘Restructuring of the state and proportionate election system’ organised by the Nepal University Progressive Teachers’ Association of Nepal, Mainali said: “Since the centralised and unilateral state mechanism couldn’t address the problem of the state, an appropriate state mechanism should be chosen on the basis of nation’s peculiarity.”

“The state mechanisms of China and India should also be considered before formulating any kind of state structure,” he said.

At the interaction, economist and political analyst Dr Puspa Raj Kandel and political analyst Dr Suman Dhakal presented papers on ‘Re-construction of the state and proportionate election system’ and ‘The proportionate election system’ respectively.

Dr Kandel shed light on different state mechanisms being followed by states and their experience. He said that the federal system divides the nation into various states so it’s an issue to be considered very seriously. “It’s a matter of serious concern whether to divide the nation by enforcing a federal system or to unite the country by adopting the state mechanism followed by the United Kingdom,” he said.

Dr Dhakal claimed that the mixed election system, if used in the right manner, gives good results because it includes all the groups and races.

However, Sita Ram Tamang, leader of the CPN (Unified), commenting on the papers, said that the mixed election system could not represent all groups and communities in the Constituent Assembly. A proportionate election system should be adopted for the proper representation of people from all the sections of the society.