Two or more than two parties must not be allowed to contest any elections under a single election symbol because such a provision would make it much easier for parties to deceive the people

The Election Commission (EC) has come up with a draft bill on financing political parties from the state that meet certain criteria. The aim of financing the parties from the state coffers is to make their financial transactions transparent and accountable to the people. The EC came up with this idea after consulting various stakeholders, lawmakers and concerned political parties. Such practice is common in most developed democracies where a political party polling a percentage of valid votes cast in a general election is entitled to receive a certain amount from the state to run the party organisation. The EC has proposed that a political party that polls 1.5 percent of valid votes cast will get financing from the state. It, however, has not proposed how much money a political party will get from the state, as it will be determined after the lawmakers discuss the bill in detail. The draft bill has also proposed banning the parties from collecting donations from people, business community, foreign embassies and any other organizations outside the country once the bill is enacted into law. But most of the fringe parties have opposed the threshold of 1.5 percent fearing that they may be deprived of such benefit.

According to the draft bill, the state financing will be provided to the parties who conduct periodical elections on time; follow the principle of inclusion within the party organisations and get their financial transaction audited from the office of the auditor general. The state will finance only parties who win at least one seat under the First-Past-the-Post system. The draft bill has also given more legal teeth to the EC which can cancel the registration of any political parties for failing to meet the criteria set by the bill. Notably, the EC can take action against any political outfit if it raises voice against the country’s sovereignty, territorial integrity, national independence, communal harmony, peace and order. Another feature of the draft bill is that a new political party has to submit the signature of minimum of 500 people along with photocopies of citizenship certificates and voter’s identity cards.

The need for such bill with strict conditions was felt for long as a number of political parties mushroomed after the election to the first Constituent Assembly was held under the FPtP and Proportional Representation system. Even in the new constitution the mixed election system has been retained, and it will always give birth to a hung parliament. In order to control corruption under the political shadow and make the political parties accountable to the people and their financial activities transparent the proposed threshold of 1.5 percent is not enough, and it must be increased up to five percent. The increased threshold will help minimise the number of political parties. The political parties must conduct financial transaction only through banking channels. However, two or more than two parties must not be allowed to contest any elections under a single election symbol. Such provision will, if passed as it is, encourage parties to team up during elections but give room for splits afterwards, thus deceiving the electorate.

No discrimination

Discrimination persists among various types of teachers. The relief teachers are deprived of many facilities that other types of teachers enjoy. Discussions are taking place to amend the Education Bill in the Parliament. The lawmakers have shown their concern to do so by tabling the Bill to address the concerns of the relief teachers. The relief teachers should be qualified graduates or undergraduates studying for graduation. Looking at the exploitation of the relief teachers it is high time that the necessary amendments were made in the Education Bill to do justice to them. Furthermore, teachers should be given the permanent status only through competition.

Many teachers are being appointed because of their affiliation with the various political parties. This has led to the politicization of education with calls to amend the Education Bill. Reforms in the Bill would provide various facilities such as remote allowance, sick leave, uniforms and other facilities and incentives to the relief teachers too that the other types of teachers are enjoying. That there are relief teachers indicates that there is a shortage of qualified teachers in the schools. The relief teachers are helping fill the vacancies for teachers in such schools.