A delegation of the 17 parties´ coalition called on Chairman Regmi at the latter´s office in Singha Durbar today and warned of taking to the streets if the proposal to maintain a minimum threshold was approved in the Ordinance designed to make some arrangement relating to the CA elections.[break]
Talking to reporters following the meeting, Chairman of Samajbadi Janata Dal Prem Bahadur Singh said the CA elections should not have the provision of a minimum threshold as in parliamentary elections, and that it should be scrapped to ensure representation of all region, section and ethnic groups.
In response, Chairman Regmi said a decision would be taken on the issue following deliberations with all the parties, according to Singh.
The Election Commission has proposed a minimum threshold of one per cent of the total valid votes received by any particular party to be entitled to a seat under the Proportional Representation (PR) system of the elections.
It was 1.5 per cent in the previous CA elections.
Meanwhile, the National Youth Federation Nepal has also submitted a memorandum to Chairman Regmi urging him to help ensure voting rights to youths who have attained 16 years and above in the upcoming CA elections.
The youth population between 16 and 17 years of age is around 1.7 million and they should be guaranteed their franchise after they acquire their citizenship certificate.
We have also demanded that the Nepali citizens living abroad should also get an opportunity to exercise their right to vote in the CA elections and that the government should introduce a youth-oriented policy, and make diplomatic efforts to save Amar Bahadur Bam of Darchula, who has been given death sentence in the UAE, said President of the Federation Kabindra Burlakoti.
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