The Election Commission has called for speedy endorsement of the ‘Bill to Amend and Consolidate the Election Law’, which has introduced the option of ‘No Vote’.

Speaking at a function in Kathmandu on Monday, Chief Election Commissioner Dinesh Thapaliya said the Election Commision has incorporated the ‘No Vote’ provision in the draft of the election-related bill.

The ‘Bill to Amend and Consolidate the Election Law’ is currently under consideration at the Ministry of Home Affairs, said Thapaliya.

The commission had drafted the bill and forwarded it to the ministry on July 3.

The draft says if 51 percent of votes go for ‘No Vote’, the election becomes invalid and the candidates will also be ineligible to contest next time.

Earlier in January 2014, the Supreme Court passed a judgment, hailed as a landmark, giving voters the right to cast negative votes—voters should also have the option to reject all the candidates. But such a provision has not been included in the ballot paper so far.

Now, a new symbol will be included in the ballot paper, informed Thapaliya.

“We have included a provision whereby the ballot paper will have an election symbol for ‘no vote’ for those who do not want to vote for any of the given candidates,” said Thapaliya. “The popularly rejected candidates will be ineligible for contesting the next election.”

He also said that since positive media intervention is necessary for improving the election system, the election law should be made a topic of public discourse for its speedy endorsement.

Commission spokesman Shaligram Sharma Poudel said the function was organised to inform the public about the key provisions of the bill, including the ‘No Vote’ option. “To implement the law in the next elections, it must be passed well in advance so that necessary preparations can be made and working procedures and criteria fixed,” he said.

Surya Aryal, an under secretary and information officer at the Election Commission, said the Home Ministry should now proceed with the draft as a bill. “Now it’s up to the Home Ministry to determine how to proceed with the draft—with or without changes,” he said.

However, Aryal added, the draft was prepared through a consultative process, by assessing the central and provincial elections, and analysing the international practices and new trends. “We believe it is for the good of all. We have merged seven different Acts to come up with one election law. We have thus requested all to be proactive to endorse it.”

It will replace seven different Acts if it gets the federal parliament’s approval. Commission officials said they prepared the draft after years of consultations and deliberations with political parties, civil society members and election experts. The new law will govern all elections—presidential, vice-presidential, House of Representatives, National Assembly and local.

Election Commission officials hope that the law will be endorsed before the upcoming National Assembly elections, which will be held in February/March next year.

In an interview with the Post last month, Election Commissioner Ram Prasad Bhandari had said the draft bill aims to address the existing shortcomings in the election process and procedures.

“As it was prepared after a highly-consultative process, there is no reason to delay its endorsement. I am hopeful that the upcoming upper house elections will be conducted based on the new law,” he said.

Former chief election commissioner Dolakh Bahadur Gurung, however, said the EC should convince the political leaders about the importance of the proposed law, and if the draft needs changes based on suggestions, it should accommodate such suggestions.

“I think the Election Commission has not effectively communicated with the central leaders about the draft, so they appear unwilling to accept the provisions,” he said.