Constituent assembly should ensure proportional representation: US scholarSpeaking to media persons based in Kathmandu through videoconferencing
from New York on Wednesday, Dr Andrew Arato, a constitutional expert
and professor of history and sociology, said election to constituent
assembly itself was not an automatic solution to the problem and that
the risk of dominance of majority could not be ruled out if all sides
were not included in the process.
"Constituent assembly is not an automatic solution. It can even exacerbate things and can also lead to majoritarian outcome," he said, stressing that proportional representation - not the 'Anglican' way that is the dominant in the constitution-making practice in the South Asian region - is the best method.
Dr Arato was of the view that if the constituent assembly established by proportional representation would have positive reflection in the legislative assembly to be set up afterwards.
"The will of the people cannot be represented by single-stage process [of constitution making]. That's why multi-stage process is important," he told the media persons at the American Centre in Kathmandu.
Asked for his view on the question of turning the 1990's constitution as interim constitution with some amendments or to draft a new interim statute, Dr Arato opined that amendment to this constitution to manage the interim period could not be of much help in the present situation and also because the upper chamber of the parliament is not functional as required by the present constitution.
Stressing that strict guidelines are required to establish a constituent assembly, the Hungary-born US professor said hasty election process without broad political debate would not be fruitful.
"Everybody wants everything right now. Some want the republic and some want the monarchy to go now but participation is not like that. It's a slow process. It takes time," he said, adding, "There is no substitute for democratically elected constituent assembly."
The process of constituent assembly, according to Dr Arato, should take six to nine months period to complete; otherwise it would become like 'rubber-stamping'.
In constitutional term, he opined, Nepal is not so different from South Africa or Hungary where constitutions were framed through constituent assembly and lessons from outside could be helpful in the going.
"Constituent assembly is not an automatic solution. It can even exacerbate things and can also lead to majoritarian outcome," he said, stressing that proportional representation - not the 'Anglican' way that is the dominant in the constitution-making practice in the South Asian region - is the best method.
Dr Arato was of the view that if the constituent assembly established by proportional representation would have positive reflection in the legislative assembly to be set up afterwards.
"The will of the people cannot be represented by single-stage process [of constitution making]. That's why multi-stage process is important," he told the media persons at the American Centre in Kathmandu.
Asked for his view on the question of turning the 1990's constitution as interim constitution with some amendments or to draft a new interim statute, Dr Arato opined that amendment to this constitution to manage the interim period could not be of much help in the present situation and also because the upper chamber of the parliament is not functional as required by the present constitution.
Stressing that strict guidelines are required to establish a constituent assembly, the Hungary-born US professor said hasty election process without broad political debate would not be fruitful.
"Everybody wants everything right now. Some want the republic and some want the monarchy to go now but participation is not like that. It's a slow process. It takes time," he said, adding, "There is no substitute for democratically elected constituent assembly."
The process of constituent assembly, according to Dr Arato, should take six to nine months period to complete; otherwise it would become like 'rubber-stamping'.
In constitutional term, he opined, Nepal is not so different from South Africa or Hungary where constitutions were framed through constituent assembly and lessons from outside could be helpful in the going.
Election Day '09 was a roller-coaster for election reformers. Instant runoff voting had a great night in Minnesota, where St. Paul voters chose to implement IRV for its city elections, and Minneapolis voters used IRV for the first time—with local media touting it as a big success. As the Star-Tribune noted in endorsing IRV for St. Paul, Tuesday’s elections give the Twin Cities a chance to show the whole state of Minnesota the benefits of adopting IRV. There were disappointments in Lowell and Pierce County too, but high-profile multi-candidate races in New Jersey and New York keep policymakers focused on ways to reform elections; the Baltimore Sun and Miami Herald were among many newspapers publishing commentary from FairVote board member and former presidential candidate John Anderson on how IRV can mitigate the problems of plurality elections.