Third-phase elections: Too many invalid votes

The EC could have used two separate ballot papers for each system to limit the size of the ballots enabling voters to cast votes distinctively. Since printing of ballot papers at district headquarters with strict security is possible these days, it may be possible to get ballots printed locally after the symbols are distributed

The third phase local level elections scheduled to be held on September 18, 2017 in province  number 2 may prove to be a blessing in disguise, if the Election Commission (EC) uses it as an opportunity to improve some of the deficiencies of the last two phases, especially by way of minimizing the percentage of invalid votes, which counts much  in any election.

Originally, the government had announced to hold elections in all 744 local units on May 14. Later on, it decided to hold elections in two phases--283 units on May 14 and 461 units on June 24. The first phase elections were held peacefully. However, due to the holy month of Ramadan, the second phase elections were rescheduled for June 28. But elections to 127 units of province No. 2, were rescheduled for phase three. However, elections to 334 units have gone off peacefully.

Interestingly, the plan to hold phase-wise election was based on the assessment of unproblematic and problematic provinces. Provinces Nos 3,4 and 6,where there were no demands for local level restructuring were kept in phase-1, where polling went off peacefully, by and large, as anticipated earlier. The elections to the problematic provinces numbered.1,2,5 and 7, were separated from the original one phase election schedule with a view to buying time to negotiate the demands of the Madhes-based parties, which include amendment to the constitution and also negotiates the number of local level units in proportion to the population of 20 districts of Madhes/Tarai falling in these provinces. The leaders of the Rastriya Janata Party did not come to terms with the government and declared agitation against the election, the elections in province No. 2 were rescheduled further by the government citing this reason.

It seems that the decision to hold the third phase election was forced by the circumstances. However, it had both negative and positive effects. Negatively, instead of providing any immediate solution to end the agitation, it has prolonged the agitation carried out by the Madhes-centric parties by delaying the fulfillment of their demands. It also did not allow the administration to return to its duties before completing the task. It also did not cool down the politically charged atmosphere from the election fever. Positively, it has succeeded in avoiding a confronting situation in province-2, where lives of the innocent people were at stake. More importantly, it has facilitated the process of federalism with an implicit blow to the authoritarian mindset that prefers everything to be managed from  centralized Kathmandu. Not only practically but also technically, it is better to have local elections at different times in different provinces, as it provides time for the EC to conduct elections in a planned manner making them more effective and election cost effective. Lastly, in relatively small areas, peaceful polling can be ensured by security agencies.

Interestingly, the constitution envisages three additional electoral systems to elect local level representatives. For electing Village Council’s chairman, vice-chairman, ward chairman, women and Dalit women ward members, first-Past-the-Post (FPtP) system (one voter one vote) has been adopted, whereas, for two general ward members, block vote system (one voter with two votes for two seats) has been applied. And the third electoral system of single non-transferable vote (one voter with one vote for three/four seats) for electing village and municipal assembly members has been adopted.

The EC has enough time (more than 80 days) to plan and act for the third phase of elections.  The big sizes of the ballot papers have created confusion for both illiterate and literate voters that led to the unprecedented high percentage of invalid votes and delayed counting of votes. Comparatively, there were 3.5 to 4.5 percent invalid votes in the last 1997 local election against 17 percent in the present phase-1 elections. The number of parties contesting elections largely determined the size of a ballot paper. Presently, as per the law, the symbols of all parties represented in the House have been reserved, against the 1997 local elections in which hardly four parties with more than three percent of valid votes in the 1991 parliamentary election, had their symbols reserved as recognized political parties. Thus, determining the size of the ballot papers is beyond the jurisdiction of the EC.

Actually, there are seven ballot papers, which are clubbed together in one ballot sheet. In the first to fifth ballot papers, FPtP has been used and for sixth and seventh ones block vote system has been used.  It was done in 1997 elections too. But due to the limited number of reserved symbols, it did not create any problem. The EC could have used two separate ballot papers for each system to limit the size of the ballots enabling voters to cast votes distinctively. Since printing of ballot papers at district headquarters with strict security is possible these days, it may be possible to get ballots printed locally after the symbols are distributed. This too can reduce the size of the ballot papers and help minimize the number of invalid votes and provide efficient management of counting of votes as well.