Members of the House of Representatives Election Act, 2074

Type: Act
Year: २०७४ BS
Status: In force
Category: खण्ड ३: सङ्घीय संसद, राजनीतिक दल तथा निर्वाचन · Volume 3: Federal Parliament, Political Parties and Elections
Official text: Official page Official text (PDF)

Used on our issue pages

Identity, inclusion and representation

Analysis drawn from official reports, court rulings and published research, each cited. Figures are being double-checked against the source documents; corrections are welcome.

What does it do?

The House of Representatives has 275 members elected under a mixed system: 165 are elected in single-member constituencies, where the candidate with the most votes wins, and 110 are elected by proportional representation, with the whole country as one constituency and voters choosing a party. The government sets the election date after consulting the Election Commission, which runs the election through chief returning officers, returning officers and polling officers it appoints.प्रतिनिधि सभाका २७५ सदस्य मिश्रित प्रणालीबाट चुनिन्छन्: १६५ जना एक निर्वाचन क्षेत्र एक पदका आधारमा सबैभन्दा बढी मत पाउने उम्मेदवार (पहिलो हुने निर्वाचित हुने प्रणाली) र ११० जना समानुपातिक प्रणालीबाट, जसमा सम्पूर्ण देशलाई एउटै निर्वाचन क्षेत्र मानी मतदाताले दललाई मत दिन्छन्। निर्वाचन आयोगसँग परामर्श गरी नेपाल सरकारले निर्वाचनको मिति तोक्छ, र आयोगले आफूले नियुक्त गर्ने मुख्य निर्वाचन अधिकृत, निर्वाचन अधिकृत र मतदान अधिकृतमार्फत निर्वाचन सञ्चालन गर्छ। Nepal Law Commission, Government of Nepal Sections 3–6, pp. 3–4; Sections 8–11, pp. 5–6
A candidate must be a Nepali citizen on the voter list, at least 25 years old, not disqualified by federal law, and not holding an 'office of profit' (a non-political post paid from public funds). Candidates and parties pay a deposit, which is forfeited if a constituency candidate gets less than 10% of the valid votes or a party wins no proportional seat.उम्मेदवार नेपाली नागरिक, मतदाता नामावलीमा नाम भएको, कम्तीमा २५ वर्ष पूरा भएको, सङ्घीय कानूनले अयोग्य नठहराएको र ‘लाभको पद’ (सरकारी कोषबाट पारिश्रमिक पाउने गैरराजनीतिक पद) मा बहाल नरहेको हुनुपर्छ। उम्मेदवार र दलले धरौटी राख्नुपर्छ; प्रत्यक्षतर्फ कुल सदर मतको १० प्रतिशतभन्दा कम मत पाउने उम्मेदवारको र समानुपातिकतर्फ एउटा पनि सिट नपाउने दलको धरौटी जफत हुन्छ। Nepal Law Commission, Government of Nepal Section 12, pp. 6–7; Sections 70–71, pp. 34–35
Parties take part in the proportional contest through closed lists. At least half of the candidates on a list must be women, and the list must reflect the population shares of Dalit, Adivasi Janajati, Khas Arya, Madhesi, Tharu and Muslim groups set in Schedule 1, as well as backward regions and persons with disabilities. A 2083 amendment changed the Schedule 1 shares to Dalit 13.44%, Adivasi Janajati 28.72%, Khas Arya 30.28%, Madhesi 16.15%, Tharu 6.52% and Muslim 4.89%.समानुपातिक निर्वाचनमा दलहरू बन्दसूचीमार्फत सहभागी हुन्छन्। सूचीका कम्तीमा आधा उम्मेदवार महिला हुनुपर्छ, र सूचीमा अनुसूची–१ मा तोकिएको जनसंख्याको अनुपातअनुसार दलित, आदिवासी जनजाति, खस आर्य, मधेसी, थारु र मुस्लिम समूहका साथै पिछडिएको क्षेत्र र अपाङ्गता भएका व्यक्तिको प्रतिनिधित्व हुनुपर्छ। २०८३ को संशोधनले अनुसूची–१ का प्रतिशत दलित १३.४४, आदिवासी जनजाति २८.७२, खस आर्य ३०.२८, मधेसी १६.१५, थारु ६.५२ र मुस्लिम ४.८९ बनाएको छ। Nepal Law Commission, Government of Nepal Section 28(1)–(6), pp. 13–14; Schedule 1, p. 39 (amended by the First Amendment Act 2083)
Only parties winning at least 3% of the proportional votes get proportional seats. After seats are divided, the Commission tells each party how many women it must elect from its list so that at least one third of its members in the Federal Parliament are women. The party's central committee then chooses who is elected, following list order and the Schedule 1 group shares 'as far as possible'; a party winning less than 10% of the proportional seats need only ensure at least one third women and 'as far as possible' the other inclusion rules.समानुपातिकतर्फ कुल सदर मतको कम्तीमा ३ प्रतिशत मत पाउने दलले मात्र सिट पाउँछ। सिट बाँडफाँटपछि दलका सङ्घीय संसद्का कुल सदस्यमध्ये कम्तीमा एक तिहाइ महिला पुग्ने गरी समानुपातिकतर्फबाट कति महिला निर्वाचित गराउनुपर्छ भनेर आयोगले दललाई जानकारी दिन्छ। त्यसपछि दलको केन्द्रीय समितिले बन्दसूचीको क्रम र अनुसूची–१ को समूहगत अनुपात ‘यथासम्भव’ पालना गर्दै निर्वाचित हुने उम्मेदवार छान्छ; समानुपातिकतर्फका कुल सिटको १० प्रतिशतभन्दा कम सिट पाउने दलले कम्तीमा एक तिहाइ महिला र अन्य समावेशी आधार ‘यथासम्भव’ मिलाए पुग्छ। Nepal Law Commission, Government of Nepal Section 60(4)–(12), pp. 30–31
The Election Commission sets, by Gazette notice, the maximum a constituency candidate or a party may spend on the campaign. Parties and candidates must keep accounts of all spending during the election period, stay within the limit and file a statement within 35 days of the result; the Commission can fine those who do not file on time.प्रत्यक्षतर्फका उम्मेदवार र समानुपातिकतर्फ दलले चुनाव प्रचारमा खर्च गर्न पाउने अधिकतम रकम निर्वाचन आयोगले राजपत्रमा सूचना प्रकाशित गरी तोक्छ। दल र उम्मेदवारले निर्वाचन अवधिभरको सम्पूर्ण खर्चको हिसाब राख्नुपर्छ, तोकिएको हदभित्र खर्च गर्नुपर्छ र परिणाम घोषणा भएको ३५ दिनभित्र खर्च विवरण बुझाउनुपर्छ; समयमा विवरण नबुझाउनेलाई आयोगले जरिबाना गर्न सक्छ। Nepal Law Commission, Government of Nepal Section 72, pp. 35–36

Gaps, loopholes and improvement ideas

Unclear The EU Election Observation Mission (2017) found that the proportional quota system includes the Khas Arya, a well-represented group, among the groups for inclusion, which it said is arguably contrary to international standards on equality and has the effect of strengthening elite groups' participation. It also noted that parties winning less than 10% of the proportional seats need apply the quotas only 'to the extent possible', so the level of compliance required of smaller parties is not clearly defined. The 2083 amendment updated the shares but kept the same groups and wording.युरोपेली संघको निर्वाचन पर्यवेक्षण मिसन (२०१७) ले समानुपातिक कोटा प्रणालीमा राम्रो प्रतिनिधित्व भएको खस आर्य समूहलाई पनि समावेशी समूहमा राखिएकाले यो समानतासम्बन्धी अन्तर्राष्ट्रिय मापदण्डविपरीत हुन सक्ने र यसले विशिष्ट वर्गको सहभागिता झन् बढाउने उल्लेख गरेको थियो। समानुपातिकतर्फ १० प्रतिशतभन्दा कम सिट पाउने दलले कोटा ‘यथासम्भव’ मात्र पालना गर्नुपर्ने भएकाले साना दलले कति पालना गर्नुपर्ने हो भन्ने स्पष्ट नभएको पनि मिसनले औँल्याएको थियो। २०८३ को संशोधनले प्रतिशत अद्यावधिक गरे पनि समूह र शब्दावली उस्तै राखेको छ। European Union Election Observation Mission to Nepal 2017 · Nepal Law Commission, Government of Nepal EU EOM 2017 Final Report, Executive summary, report pp. 4–5 (PDF pp. 5–6) and Legal Framework section, report p. 13 (PDF p. 14); Act s. 28(5), p. 14, s. 60(6), (8), pp. 30–31 and Schedule 1, p. 39
Loophole Spending limits do not stop costly, self-financed campaigns. The High-Level Economic Reform Suggestion Commission found that candidates who fund campaigns from personal wealth or personal fundraising tend to try to recover the money once elected, and that expensive campaigns push politicians towards corruption, such as pressing for project budgets; it also said traditional party income is inadequate, driving parties towards illicit funding.खर्चको हदले महँगो र आफैँले लगानी गर्ने चुनावी अभियान रोक्न सकेको छैन। उच्चस्तरीय आर्थिक सुधार सुझाव आयोगका अनुसार व्यक्तिगत सम्पत्ति वा व्यक्तिगत चन्दाबाट चुनाव लड्ने उम्मेदवारले निर्वाचित भएपछि लगानी गरेको रकम जसरी पनि उठाउन खोज्ने प्रवृत्ति हुन्छ, र महँगो चुनावी प्रचारले राजनीतिज्ञलाई आयोजनामा बजेट पार्न दबाब दिनेजस्ता भ्रष्टाचारजन्य काममा धकेल्छ; दलका परम्परागत आयस्रोत अपर्याप्त हुँदा दलहरू अवाञ्छित स्रोततर्फ जाने गरेको पनि आयोगले उल्लेख गरेको छ। High-Level Economic Reform Commission (उच्चस्तरीय आर्थिक सुधार सुझाव आयोग), submitted to the Ministry of Finance · Nepal Law Commission, Government of Nepal HLERC report, governance chapter on political finance, paras 11–12, printed pp. 80–81 (PDF pp. 147–148), and recommendation 14(3), printed p. 82 (PDF p. 149); Act s. 72, pp. 35–36

Ideas to fix it

Through a new political finance law or by amending Sections 37–38 of the Political Party Act 2073 and Section 72 of this Act, give nationally recognised parties an annual grant from federal funds on set criteria; let parties take donations only through banks within set limits; bar candidates from taking donations during elections; and let parties fund their candidates' campaigns within limits the Election Commission sets.राजनीतिक वित्तसम्बन्धी नयाँ ऐन ल्याएर वा राजनीतिक दलसम्बन्धी ऐन, २०७३ को दफा ३७ र ३८ तथा यस ऐनको दफा ७२ संशोधन गरेर निश्चित मापदण्डका आधारमा राष्ट्रिय मान्यताप्राप्त दललाई सङ्घीय कोषबाट वार्षिक अनुदान दिने; दलले निश्चित सीमाभित्र बैंकिङ प्रणालीमार्फत मात्र चन्दा लिन पाउने र निर्वाचनका बेला उम्मेदवारले चन्दा लिन नपाउने व्यवस्था गर्ने; र दलले आफ्ना उम्मेदवारलाई आयोगले तोकेको सीमाभित्र प्रचार खर्च दिन पाउने बनाउने। Proposed by: High-Level Economic Reform Suggestion Commission (2081) High-Level Economic Reform Commission (उच्चस्तरीय आर्थिक सुधार सुझाव आयोग), submitted to the Ministry of Finance
Review the impact of the quota system on the ethnic composition of the House of Representatives and provincial assemblies, remove the Khas Arya from the groups included, and apply affirmative action only to groups that face negative discrimination.प्रतिनिधि सभा र प्रदेश सभाको जातीय संरचनामा कोटा प्रणालीको प्रभावको पुनरावलोकन गर्ने, समावेशी समूहबाट खस आर्यलाई हटाउने र सकारात्मक विभेदका उपाय नकारात्मक विभेद भोगेका समूहमा मात्र लागू गर्ने। Proposed by: EU Election Observation Mission to Nepal 2017 European Union Election Observation Mission to Nepal 2017
Replace the separate election Acts, including this one, with a single integrated Election Management Act. The Commission's draft would have parties draw up closed lists by the inclusion shares the government notifies from the most recent census before each election, and include persons with disabilities and gender and sexual minorities on the lists.यो ऐनलगायत छुट्टाछुट्टै निर्वाचन ऐनहरूलाई एकीकृत निर्वाचन व्यवस्थापन ऐनले प्रतिस्थापन गर्ने। आयोगको मस्यौदाअनुसार निर्वाचनअघिको पछिल्लो जनगणनाका आधारमा सरकारले राजपत्रमा तोकेको समावेशी अनुपातअनुसार दलले बन्दसूची तयार गर्नुपर्ने र सूचीमा अपाङ्गता भएका व्यक्ति तथा लैङ्गिक र यौनिक अल्पसंख्यकलाई पनि समावेश गर्नुपर्ने प्रस्ताव छ। Proposed by: Election Commission, Nepal (Annual Report 2081/82) Election Commission, Nepal

Where does it conflict with other laws?

No conflict with another law is documented in the sources we have reviewed so far.

Regulations and rules made under it

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