Election Commission proposes reducing commissioners to three, cutting number of lawmakers

Nepal's Election Commission is advocating for significant reforms to its structure and the size of elected bodies. In recommendations submitted to a government task force preparing constitutional amendments, the commission proposes reducing its current five-member body, which includes the chief election commissioner, to three members. Officiating Chief Election Commissioner Ram Prasad Bhandari stated that this move aims to "modernize and streamline the institution," making it "lean and agile."

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We have suggested making the commission lean and agile. This will reduce the state’s financial burden and make the institution more efficient.

The proposed restructuring is also intended to "reduce the state's financial burden and make the institution more efficient." The commission has been operating with an officiating chief and two commissioners for over a year and believes a three-member structure, comprising a chief election commissioner and two commissioners with expertise in administration, law, and information technology, can function effectively.

Beyond its internal structure, the commission has put forth proposals to downsize elected bodies. It suggests reducing the House of Representatives to 105 members, with 77 elected directly and 28 through proportional representation. The 59-member National Assembly would be cut to 30 members, and proportional representation in provincial assemblies would be eliminated. Bhandari emphasized that the goal is to make federal and provincial legislatures "lean, agile and relevant."

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aimed at modernising and streamlining the institution

Further recommendations include explicitly writing the authority to fix election dates into the constitution, making the regulation and management of political parties a constitutional responsibility, and allowing the National Assembly chairperson to concurrently serve as vice president. The commission also proposed allowing the prime minister to appoint ministers from outside Parliament without requiring them to become members within six months. Other suggestions involve dissolving district coordination committees, making local elections non-partisan, and restructuring ward committees. Additionally, the commission proposed lowering the minimum age for candidates for the House of Representatives and provincial assemblies from 25 to 21, and for the National Assembly from 35 to 30.

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lean, agile and relevant