How ‘Established’ Political Parties Are Losing Leadership Positions in Local Governments
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Following the House of Representatives election last Falgun, established political parties that lost their stronghold in the federal parliament have also recently seen numerous elected leaders resign or be removed from positions at the local government level.
Due to party switches alone, the Communist Party of Nepal (NCP), CPN-UML, and Nepali Congress have collectively lost more than 35 executive-level representatives from their ranks.
Some of the cases involving these party defections remain under consideration by the Supreme Court. Recently, the court paved the way for the removal of eight officials, including the chairperson of Guthi Chaur Rural Municipality in Jumla.
With about eight months remaining before the next local elections, the Election Commission reports that 75 local representatives, including ward chairs and higher officials, have left their posts for various reasons.
Among them, some resigned from their roles as mayors, deputy mayors, rural municipality chairs, vice chairs, and ward chairs, to contest the House of Representatives election in Falgun.
“Vacancies occurred in two ways. First, some resigned to contest elections in the previous election cycle. Second, recent party defections led the concerned parties to recommend action, upon which the Commission declared those posts vacant,” explains Election Commission spokesperson Narayan Prasad Bhattarai.
The ‘Wave’
In the local elections held in 2079 BS, the Nepali Congress secured the highest number of mayoral and deputy mayoral posts. They were followed by the CPN-UML and the CPN (former Maoist faction) winning most executive positions.
Bhim Prasad Dhungana, Chairperson of the Association of Municipalities, attributes this recent wave of defections to the surge of new parties following last year’s Gen Z movement.
“During elections, a wave forms, and politicians with uncertain commitments or high ambitions might switch to new parties in hopes of better prospects,” Dhungana says.
Many who recently left their parties have joined the National Independent Party, which became the largest party in the last House of Representatives election.
“They likely switched parties hoping to win the elections again or because of the current political atmosphere,” says Dhungana, who also serves as the mayor of Nilkantha Municipality, Dhading. However, he points out there is no guarantee those who switch parties will find opportunities in their new affiliations.
How Many Leaders Left Each Party?
Image source, ECN
According to the Election Commission, the highest number of local officials leaving their parties are from the Nepali Communist Party (NCP), which was formed through the merger of the CPN Maoist Centre and CPN Unified Socialist among others.
From the NCP, 16 leaders—including the head of the Taplejung District Coordination Committee and the deputy chairperson of Aathbiskot Municipality in Rukum West—have lost their posts due to defection. However, the Supreme Court has issued an interim order to maintain the position of Chiring Lama, head of the Taplejung District Coordination Committee.
Other NCP officials who left the party include district coordination committee members, ward chairs, and executive members. Many of them have secured interim relief from the courts against the commission’s removal decisions.
From CPN-UML—the second largest party from the last local elections—14 officials have lost their posts following defection. Among them, Prem Lal Sah, mayor of Devahi Gonahi Municipality in Rautahat, is the highest-ranking official to switch parties. Sah joined the Aam Janata Party led by Prabhu Sah just months ago.
Most who lost positions from CPN-UML were ward chairs.
From the Nepali Congress, five leaders including the chairperson of Guthi Chaur Rural Municipality have left the party. Chairperson Dan Bahadur Budha joined the Rastriya Swatantra Party.
Legal Challenges Following Party Defections
The then mayor of Guthi Chaur, Budha, along with eight others including former deputy chairperson Fatima Khatoon Ansari of Palhinandan Rural Municipality in West Nawalparasi, filed writ petitions at the Supreme Court challenging the Election Commission’s decision.
Recently, the court declined to grant relief to these representatives. However, this is not the case for all officials.
Earlier, Reena Kumari Sah, mayor of Maulapur Municipality in Rautahat, lost her post after joining the Aam Janata Party formed by her husband, following her defection from CPN-UML. However, the Supreme Court ordered to maintain her position citing insufficient evidence, and she continues as mayor.
Election Commission spokesperson Bhattarai clarifies that when these cases reach the courts, the commission respects judicial decisions regarding whether the posts remain vacant or retained.
Constitutional and Legal Framework
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Interim Supreme Court orders allowing officials to retain their posts indicate that the constitution does not provide for vacancy of local representatives’ posts solely due to party defection.
Articles 215, 216, and 220 of the constitution specify that positions like rural municipality chairpersons, vice chairs, coordination committee members, ward chairs, and members become vacant only upon resignation, term completion, or death.
However, the Political Parties Act stipulates that elected representatives who defect from their parties lose their posts.
Section 31 of the Act states that members elected as federal parliamentarians, provincial assembly members, or local officials on behalf of any party cannot defect during their term. Any such defection will cause the member’s position to be considered automatically vacant.
The law recognizes three scenarios of defection:
- Submitting a written resignation from party membership
- Obtaining membership in another party
- Participating in the formation of a different party
How the Commission Makes Decisions
After receiving notice from a party’s central committee about the expulsion of a local representative, the Election Commission usually proceeds to declare the post vacant.
Narayan Prasad Bhattarai explains that decisions are made based on updated party decisions submitted to the commission.
“The commission relies on the Political Parties Act and requires an official resolution from the concerned party’s central committee before acting,” he says.
Once a decision is submitted, the commission usually does not conduct further investigations.
The law mandates that before any expulsion, the accused member must be given an opportunity to present their case.
Local Government Leaders Who Resigned to Contest Parliamentary Elections
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Out of ten local government leaders who resigned to contest the parliamentary election held last Falgun, only former Kathmandu mayor Balendra Shah ‘Balen’ and former Dharan mayor Hark Sampang were elected to the House of Representatives.
Other leaders such as Renu Dahal of Bharatpur Metropolitan City; Ashok Banjoo of Dhulikhel Municipality, Kavre; Dilip Agrawal of Rangeli Municipality, Morang; Ran Bahadur Rai of Suryodaya Municipality, Ilam; and Ram Lal Dagura Tharu of Tikapur Municipality, Kailali, resigned to run for parliamentary seats but were not elected.
Similarly, Ashim Rai, chairperson of Thulung Dudhkoshi Rural Municipality, Solukhumbu; Major Kumar Rai, chair of Limchungbung Rural Municipality, Udayapur; and Khim Bahadur Thapa, chair of Kalikandaki Rural Municipality, Syangja, also resigned to run for parliament but lost.
The Election Commission has declared that no by-elections will be conducted for local representatives whose terms were less than one year when they vacated their posts.
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