Referendum to choose poll process likely
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KATHMANDU, APR 06 - The committee formed to suggest the modality for the Free Students Union (FSU) election, having failed to forge consensus on the poll system, is likely to suggest a referendum to sort out the row.
As student unions remained divided over the poll modality, the Tribhuvan University (TU) formed a seven-member committee led by Hari Sharan Chakhun, assistant dean at the Faculty of Law, on March 13 to suggest a way out after having consultations with stakeholders. “As the unions showed no signs of compromise in their stand, we are suggesting a referendum to confirm the election modality,” Chakhun told the Post.
He said the referendum will be held in every college where students can choose one of three options--continuation of the existing system, proportional system and the FSU Council. The system getting a majority of votes will be adopted for the upcoming poll.
There is no agreement on the FSU election system as the unions are sticking to their respective stances. Of 18 student unions, 14, including the UCPN (Maoist)-affiliated All Nepal National Independent Students Union (Revolutionary), are advocating a proportional election system and three others, including the Nepal Students' Union (NSU) and the All Nepal National Free Students' Union (ANNFSU) Sixth, have been arguing for the continuation of the first-past-the-post system.
In search of a middle path, the CPN (UML)-aligned ANNFSU is proposing two mechanisms--an FSU Council based on proportional system and a directly elected FSU.
The biennial FSU election used to be held on Feb 28 but last year's poll was deferred till March 20 while it was slated to be held by March-end this year. With increasing differences among the unions, the date is getting even more uncertain. Chakhun said they will suggest holding the referendum within a couple of months while the FSU election would be conducted before Dashain.
Posted on: 2011-04-07 03:00
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