The local bodies are essential for identifying people’s problems and delivering immediate services as per their demand. For this purpose, Village Development Committees (VDCs), District Development Committees (DDCs) and municipalities were formed as local bodies.

For a diverse country like Nepal, it is impossible for the government to carry out all activities. Therefore, it is imperative to ensure effective operation of the local bodies to ultimately uplift the standards of living of the people. If this system can be adopted by way of decentralisation, the vision of good governance can be realised and democracy, too, can be institutionally developed. In order to realise these objectives, the 1990 Constitution and Local Self Governance Act (LSGA) 1999 were promulgated. Likewise, effective machinery has been created and resources provided to make the local units efficient.

The LSGA envisages the local governments as permanent bodies. Clause 239 of the Act states that the government can extend their tenure by one year or conduct it through other means in case regular elections cannot be held owing to natural disaster, economic problems or special circumstances. However, in July 2002, instead of extending their tenure by one year, the then Deuba government decided to hand over the management of the local bodies to the bureaucrats. Consequently, local bodies were rendered devoid of elected representatives and they failed to deliver.

In the light of the changed political scenario, the Association of DDCs, National Association of VDCs, Municipal Association as well as some parties such as CPN-UML have demanded that the local bodies be restored. However, after Maoist chairman Prachanda warned that the restoration of local bodies could result in derailment of the peace process, this issue has been pushed to the backburner. But the fact is that there are two parallel governments in operation at the local level presently. Perhaps, to address this issue, the recent eight-point acco-rd talks about dissolving the parliament and the Maoists’ people’s governments.

The government is left with only one option: forming all-party committees, including the participation of the seven parties and the Maoists at VDCs, municipalities and DDCs to carry out an interim arrangement till fresh elections are held.

The local bodies can be operated at two levels — the bureaucrats can be mobilised for administration and implementation of decisions made by executive committee, whereas executive committees should be formed for plan formulation, selection, decision-making and monitoring. Such an executive committee should be composed of civil society representatives (20 per cent), seven parties (60 per cent) and the Maoists (20 per cent).

Working committees should be formed for swift service delivery. The construction work, that had remained suspended for the past ten years, would resume and can be completed within two years. Handing over the judicial authorities as per Article 33 and 101 of the LSGA and publication of decision in the gazette would help formalise the ongoing judicial activities at the local level. These committees could educate 26 million people on their voting rights. And if the donors, too, wish to expedite development in Nepal, they should channel funds through these committees.