Editorial»
Local solutions
JUL 25 -
Eight years have elapsed since the last local elections were held, and since then inadequate and provisional structures of governance have existed at the district, municipality and VDC levels. The Interim Constitution of 2006 laid down provisions stating that the chief government bureaucrat at these levels would take on the responsibilities of the elected authorities and would be advised by a panel of representatives consisting of all parties. All parties recognised from the very beginning that these provisions were not desirable—that only elected representatives could work effectively at the local levels. While there was recognition that it would be exceedingly difficult to hold local elections in the near future, there were some negotiations between the parties over creating some power sharing arrangement at the local level, so that each body would have a political representative. Due to struggles based on partisan interest, however, such arrangements could not be reached.
Now, the Ministry of Local Development (MoLD), the central ministry under which the local bodies lie, has decided to express concern to the parties regarding the status of the local governments. As the parties work only in an advisory capacity to the local bodies, there is a lack of willingness to undertake responsibility. And the government bureaucrat cannot exercise full political authority. There is therefore a need to replace the current arrangements with other suitable ones. MoLD is in the process of suggesting the adoption of one of four options: the holding of local elections, formation of local bodies on the basis of results of the Constituent Assembly (CA) election, administering an oath of officer to the present ad hoc political mechanism or granting the present political mechanism with the authority of district, municipality or VDC council (which has authority to accept or reject any proposal brought through the boards of the local bodies).
It is clear that the most desirable option would be if immediate elections to local bodies were held. But it is equally clear that with all the political turmoil at the centre, there is no possible way that the parties can reach agreement and decide to hold such elections soon. The third and fourth options are only different methods of achieving the same end: granting the transitional political mechanism greater formal authority than they currently possess. The hope appears to be that with greater authority, the political parties will behave in a more responsible manner. These two proposals, however, do not solve the entire problem. For, in these proposals, authority is to be distributed among all political parties. In such a scenario, it is likely that all parties will not wish to take responsibility upon itself—that here too there will be a fragmentation of authority. The best scenario for the current circumstances, then, is to appoint political parties in charge of local bodies in proportion to their vote share in the CA elections. This would require no major effort while ensuring that a semblance of effective political representation exists at the local level. Although they haven’t done so over the past four years, it is to be hoped that the parties will pay this matter serious attention once the next government is formed.
Posted on: 2010-07-26 08:15
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