Proposal to Mandate Candidacy of Persons with Disabilities in Elections

May 30, Kathmandu – Three amendment proposals have been submitted to the House of Representatives Member Election (First Amendment) Bill, which has already been passed by the House of Representatives and forwarded to the National Assembly. These proposals focus on ensuring better representation in the electoral process.

Among the proposals, lawmakers have advocated for a mandatory arrangement requiring political parties to nominate candidates with disabilities during elections. Lawmaker Suresh Kumar Ale Magar and others have put forward this suggestion emphasizing the necessity to guarantee representation of persons with disabilities in candidate lists.

Additionally, Lawmaker Padam Bahadur Pariyar and others have proposed that the closed lists of candidates should be determined on an inclusive basis, ensuring representation of persons with disabilities. This measure aims to institutionalize the inclusion of disabled individuals in political candidature across parties.

Furthermore, there is a proposal to address the representation of Madhesi Dalits as well. Lawmaker Khamm Bahadur Khati and colleagues have raised the need for clear guidelines on inclusivity criteria for the closed candidate lists, emphasizing balanced representation of marginalized communities.