Kathmandu, August 1
Lawmakers of various parties, mainly those of Nepali Congress, have proposed that the law does not bar convicts of corruption and other criminal cases from contesting elections.
The Bill on Elections to the House of Representatives proposes that people convicted of corruption, rape, human trafficking, drug trafficking and trade, money laundering, passport misuse and abduction or any crime of moral turpitude cannot contest the polls.
But, lawmakers have filed dozens of amendments seeking removal of or amendment to the provision.
Those proposing amendments include Nepali Congress lawmakers Radheshyam Adhikari, Ananda Prasad Dhunana and Ishwari Neupane. Adhikari is also a senior advocate whereas Neupane is the whip of the NC Parliamentary Party.
Lawmakers loyal to corruption convicts Khum Bahadur Khadka, Govinda Raj Joshi and Chiranjivi Wagle have also filed proposals for amendments.
The provision, however, is not new. Such convicts were barred from two Constituent Assembly polls. A new law on political parties has a provision that corruption convicts cannot hold any position in political parties’ central committee.
The proposers demand that the convicts be barred from polls for only three years after completing the sentence.
“The court takes actions whatever needed. Then, we cannot make them disqualified for an indefinite period,” Adhikari says, “People can reject them. But, they should not be barred from candidacy.”
