Showing posts with label Upper House. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Upper House. Show all posts

Saturday, June 07, 2014

205 + 100 MPs At Most

I am pretty happy with the map I drew a few days back.

6 Geographic States With Geographic Names



The next question obviously is, how do you constitute the national parliament.

The two Terai states would end up with something like 55% of the population and so should get 55% of the MPs.

How many MPs total? If a large country like India has about 500, a small country like Nepal should be able to do with 200. So, say, 205 is the Lower House, and 100 in the Upper House.

Once you figure out which district gets how many MPs, then there should be reservations. 10% of the constituencies should be reserved for Dalits. As in, only Dalit candidates may contest. These should be the 22 constituencies with the largest shares of Dalit populations. Eight of these 22 should be reserved for Dalit women.

Every third constituency should be reserved for women. 20% of these for Dalit women, 30% for Madhesi women, 30% for Janajati women.

First past the post for the Lower House.

For the 100 seats in the Upper House, it is all proportional. So a party that gets 30% of the votes gets 30% of the seats, and so on. The list has to be submitted beforehand. As in, you can not change the list ex post facto. And the list should be inclusive of the DaMaJaMa. As in, one third women, 10% Dalits, and so on. One third women meaning every third name on the list is a woman.

205 + 100 = 305.

This would be the national parliament. It could be made that the entire parliament elects the Prime Minister, and not just the Lower House.

Every elected leader in the country at local, state and national level will form a pool. That pool will elect a president who would be the constitutional head and the Commander In Chief of the Nepal Army.
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Sunday, December 16, 2012

Proposed Constitution

  • A directly elected Prime Minister to serve a four year term for a maximum of two terms. If no candidate gets more than 50% of the votes cast there is a second round between the top two candidates.
  • A ceremonial president elected by all elected officials at all levels of government.
  • Three states: Koshi, Gandaki, Karnali. Keep the current 75 districts. This might be best for rapid economic growth. Hydro is where it's at.
  • Half the parliamentary constituencies in the Terai because half the people live there.
  • A Lower House with 201 members, an Upper House with 51 members.
  • The state legislatures have only one chamber. 
  • The 75 districts will be the 75 multi-member constituencies. But I have a feeling the parties want to keep the first past the post system. That and the proportional representation thing they did for the last constituent assembly.
  • One third of seats reserved for women at all levels.
  • 49% reservation for the DaMaJaMa in all new vacancies in the state apparatus until equity is achieved.
  • Tri-lingual education system in both public and private schools. First language (or any other language spoken in Nepal if Nepali is the first language), Nepali and English.
  • State funded parties. All parties that earned at least 1% of the votes get a sum that is directly proportional to how many votes it earned in the last parliamentary elections. Parties may not otherwise raise money.
Compromise Formula: 75 Multi Member Constituencies, Fully PR Election

Nov 11, 2007: Proposed Constitution
May 26, 2007: Proposed Constitution
Jun 28, 2006: Interim Constitution Draft
Jan 01, 2006: Proposed Republican Constitution
Nov 17, 2005: Proposed Constitution
Aug 08, 2005: Janata Dal Constitution
Jun 18, 2005: Proposed Constitution
May 03, 2005: Proposed Constitution
Apr 04, 2005: This Inadequate, Improper, Insufficient 1990 Constitution
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