The issue is one of integrity of those contesting the three tiers of elections
The Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA) in its annual report has recommended that public post holders facing corruption charges be barred from contesting elections. While the political parties would oppose such a provision, it is for sure that the common people would welcome it wholeheartedly. There is growing disillusion among the commoners with the election system in place, where election after election is throwing up people with criminal records or tainted images in the legislatures or local levels. Under Nepal's laws, anyone charged with corruption or a crime can contest and win an election but cannot become lawmakers or hold a post unless acquitted by the courts. The CIAA, in its report submitted to the President some days ago, has argued that in such a scenario, it would be appropriate to bar them from contesting the elections as they remain suspended even after winning the election. Nepal's laws forbid those convicted of corruption, rape, human trafficking, money laundering and abduction from contesting an election. People serving a life sentence are also barred from contesting elections.
The CIAA has a point in barring those accused of corruption from contesting the election. Under Nepal's anti-corruption law, anyone charged with corruption cannot hold public office. However, they are seen contesting the elections, with even high hopes of becoming lawmakers and eventually ministers, despite their dubious past. The likes of Bijaya Gacchadhar and Govinda Raj Joshi have contested the elections despite being indicted for corruption. In the 2017 general elections, controversial Resham Lal Chaudhary of the Rastriya Janata Party Nepal, contested and won the election from Kailali-1 from hiding.
Chaudhary was later sentenced to life imprisonment for masterminding the 2015 Tikapur carnage in Kailali that saw the brutal murder of eight police officers and a toddler. Chaudhary had filed his nomination for the November 2022 general election from prison but was prevented from doing so by the Election Commission.
The issue is not one of who should and who should not be allowed to contest the elections. It's about the integrity of those contesting the elections, whether as candidates of the parties or as individuals. Any change in the election rules will require the consent of the parties, who, unfortunately, are at the centre of all election frauds. The anti-graft body has thus also recommended that the laws related to political parties be amended so that the parties can suspend their leaders after criminal or corruption charges are filed against them. This, however, is less likely to happen as this would amount to political suicide of the senior-most leaders who are most likely to engage in corruption. However, with growing enchantment of the public with Nepal's political system itself, where elections have become mere rituals, election-related laws ought to change. It is no secret that elections have become highly expensive, which has fostered corruption in the country. Provisions should be introduced that will allow a level-playing field for all so that capable and clean candidates can assume the country's leadership.
NEA's energy export
It is good news that the stated-owned Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) has been able to export electricity worth Rs 11.80 billion to India in four months since June 11. NEA has been exporting 110 MW of electricity to the Indian company NPTC and 522 MW of energy to Vidhyut Vyapar Nigam Ltd through both the day-ahead market of the Indian Energy Exchange Ltd (IEX) and a medium-term power agreement. NEA has been selling 110 MW of power to the Indian state of Haryana under the medium-term agreement. As per the latest deal with India, NEA has been exporting 632 MW of electricity to India at Rs 10.27 on an average during the rainy season. Last year, Nepal exported electricity worth Rs 9 billion while it imported energy from India worth Rs 19 billion during the winter season.
While it is good that Nepal has been able to export energy to the Indian market during the wet season, it still has to import more than double the energy it exports. In order to bridge the existing gap between the exported and imported energy, NEA and the private sector must work together to make investments in reservoir-based power plants. Once a couple of reservoir-based power plants are built, Nepal will be in a better position to export its energy to India round the year.
A version of this article appears in the print on October 20, 2023, of The Himalayan Times