Not everyone is enthusiastic about the polls, and there are numerous political forces out to disrupt them
48-hour silence period before the November 20 A general election on Sunday began Thursday midnight, which prohibits party candidates and independents from engaging in any form of poll publicity.
From early Thursday morning, both political party candidates and independents were seen engaged in intensive campaigns with the canvassing period coming to a close. Unlike in the past, this year the Election Code of Conduct, 2022 allowed only 15 days for mass canvassing to cut down on campaign expenses and to give all contestants a level playing field, although they were allowed to involve in doorto-door campaigning with a group not exceeding 25 people. The Election Commission has asked the parties, candidates and other stakeholders to abide by the election code of conduct, failing which they would be subjected to punishment under the Election Offenses and Punishment Act, which stipulates a fine of upto Rs 100,000 for code violation. Among others, the EC has the daunting task of monitoring the use of social networking sites and electronic media by the candidates and the parties to woo votes. It must also clear all election symbols and publicity materials within a 300-metre perimeter of the 10, 888 polling stations spread across the country.
Both the elections to the federal parliament and the provincial assemblies in the seven provinces are taking place on a single day, which puts a heavy strain on the government in providing security and on the EC to conduct the polls in a free and fair manner. While elections in the past were contested mostly among candidates from the political parties, this time around, the presence of a large number of candidates is likely to spoil their chances.
According to Chief Election Commissioner of Nepal Dinesh Kumar Thapaliya, this time, on average, one candidate will be vying with 15 others to win a seat. Five years is a long wait for anyone to contest another election, and candidates are likely to resort to all means, even unethical ones, to come out victorious. So the EC should take firm action against anyone violating the election code of conduct either during the silence period or on poll day and until the victor has been announced.
Not everyone is enthusiastic about the general elections, and there are numerous political forces, mostly small communist outfits, out to sabotage or disrupt the polls, using violence if need be. Of the total number of polling stations, more than 3,000 are said to be highly sensitive from the security point of view while another 4,000 have been deemed sensitive.
The country has already witnessed some minor bomb blasts in two mountain districts in the run up to the Sunday election, while cadres of the Netra Bikram Chand-led Communist Party of Nepal-Revolutionary were seriously injured when the bomb they were making went off in Nepalgunj Wednesday morning. During the local elections held on May 13 this year, elections were postponed in 85 polling stations after being disrupted by unruly forces. Amid such a scenario, the EC has the onus to conduct a free and fair election, and its credibility lies in not being prejudiced against any party or candidate.
Clean energy
Nepal is now not only in a position to meet its domestic demand for power, but is also capable of exporting electricity during the monsoon season. The country is moving on the path of transition to electric energy from its dependence on fossil fuels at a relatively fast pace. This will contribute to reducing the emission of greenhouse gases and will also reduce the economic risks. Reports suggest that clean energy can reduce carbon dioxide emission resulting from the energy sector in Nepal down to 8.6 million metric tons by 2030. For this, Nepal will need to manage clean energy during the dry season.
Nepal will also achieve its long-term goal of net-zero emission only if there is major shift in energy use from traditional biomass and imported fossil fuel to clean energy sources. Hydropower plays a predominant role in Nepal's electricity system. But, smoothening Nepal's electricity generation curve, meeting Nepal's rising electricity demand and exporting surplus electricity are major policy challenges facing hydropower development in Nepal. The government should formulate a long-term strategy to make a shift from polluting energy sources to cleaner electricity as well as to reduce its economic vulnerability.
A version of this article appears in the print on November 18, 2022 of The Himalayan Times.
