KATHMANDU: The CPN-UML has accused the government led by Prime Minister Sushila Karki of failing to create a conducive environment for the upcoming House of Representatives election scheduled for March 5.
Speaking during a consultation meeting organized by the Election Commission on Thursday with various political parties, UML leaders harshly criticized the government, alleging that it was moving toward suppressive actions rather than ensuring a fair and free election.
UML Vice-chair Guru Baral, accompanied by the party’s Election Department chief Niraj Acharya, said the government was acting in a partisan manner and deliberately targeting opposition parties. “An election cannot be meaningful unless all parties are able to participate freely in an impartial, independent and fear-free atmosphere,” Baral told the meeting. “If this obstruction and unconstitutional trend continue, UML is prepared to go among the people and reactivate the popular mandate.”
Acharya said the UML remained firm about facing the people in elections under constitutional and lawful conditions. “We are ready to go to the people under any circumstance to seek their mandate,” he said, “but any move against the constitution and legal framework will be unacceptable.”
While terming the Election Commission’s consultation as positive, the UML delegation warned that continued government inaction could complicate the electoral process further.
In a written seven-point statement submitted to the Commission, the UML outlined its concerns:
The party expressed serious reservations that despite the government’s announcement of elections for March 5, it had not taken even minimal steps to prepare the ground for voting. Instead of engaging in dialogue, the government was allegedly restricting, prosecuting, and suspending rival political actors, revoking leaders’ passports, and obstructing public gatherings—moves the UML said undermined civil liberties.
Citing the government’s inability to hold the provincial assembly by-election in Manang district earlier in October end, the UML said this failure raised doubts about the administration’s intent.
It further warned the government against acting on the influence of provocative individuals or invisible forces to prevent certain parties from participating in the polls, stressing that elections must ensure equal opportunity for all.
The statement also accused the government of overstepping the constitutional mandate by interfering in the Election Commission’s autonomy. “The government does not have the right to obstruct the mandate given by the people,” it read, arguing that such behavior was aimed solely at disrupting the election process.
The UML reiterated that once the election process begins, no last-minute changes should be made to rules or laws, and that all steps must follow the constitution and electoral statutes.
On the issue of security and law enforcement, the party criticized the government’s lack of preparedness, warning that nationwide elections would be impossible without proper measures. It also demanded strong action against individuals involved in digital espionage and data theft, and urged a thorough investigation into foreign agents allegedly operating within Nepal.
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