Apropos of the news story “Cabbies protest” (THT, September 28, Page 2), as a federal democratic republic, anybody has the right to protest in New Nepal.

Since the government is always positive about solving everyone’s problem, it should go ahead and please the cabbies.

Otherwise the cabbies will make life difficult for not only commuters but for everyone else. Incidentally, I was forced to use a taxi on D-day for a trip to a hospital at a distance of less than two kilometres.

I paid Rs. 150 each way. The drivers were quite happy and so I presume that I paid them the right amount. In a lawless country like ours, you have no choice but to give in to coercion or leave the country for good.

As for the plunging buses, there is no point in writing anymore as future days will see more buses skidding here and there “19 killed in Dhading bus plunge” (THT, September 28, Page 1).

Manohar Shrestha, Kathmandu

Election laws

It is yet to be seen whether the PM Dahal-led government will be able to hold the local, provincial and federal elections in the next sixteen months.

For that to happen, the government has to enact laws pertaining to elections soon which has not so far positively moved in Parliament.

The Election Commission (EC) has been insisting that the government move the draft bills concerning holding elections soon “Table bills related to polls in original, EC tells PM Dahal” (THT, September 27, Page 1), if the government is serious about holding the elections within the available time.

The EC needs at least 90 days for its preparation. One of the major concerns of EC is that it is not mandatory for the political parties to submit their annual audit report. This has made EC unable to cancel their registration if they do not submit their annual audit report.

It has included in its draft bills that the political parties are to be provided with public fund to make them accountable by submitting their annual audit reports to EC. In the current system, the EC cannot annul the registration of any political parties who even fail to submit their annual audit reports for three consecutive years.

It is encouraging to know that the EC has made, in its new draft bills submitted to the government, the provision of more women representation in the legislature. It has suggested that the political parties should field 50 percent women candidates in the local body elections.

Among them, at-least one candidate should be fielded in the position of either chief or deputy chief of local village councils and municipalities. The new constitution only says that women representation will be 33 percent in the House of Representatives.

The EC has urged the government to enact the bills into laws within the next six weeks if it is serious about holding the local body elections.

Rai Biren Bangdel, Maharajgunj