Periodic elections constitute the cornerstone of democracy as they injects fresh leadership and ideas to the political system based on the general will. One key task of poll is to ensure the peaceful transfer of power from one individual to another and from one party to another. Political part@ies and social groups always jockey for power, post and resources, which are also major sources of conflicts in the society. And it is with the fair and impartial elections that the nations sort out this problem. The selection of the new leadership on the basis of the broad public consent sustains and oils the wheel of the given system. This is a better way to have the people’s equal access to the services and opportunities provided by the state.

In addition to fostering the integrity of democracy, elections give impetus to the economic development and guarantee the social security of the citizens. The people hold the elected representatives accountable and participate in the decision making process. They exercise greater say in the matters that concern themselves. Elections are also vital to uphold rule of law and good governance and deliver goods and services to the people effectively and efficiently. Thus, fair, free and impartial polls serve as the oxygen of democracy.

Nepal’s new constitution has embraced periodic elections as the indispensible component of federal democratic republic. In 2017, the nation successfully conducted the historic three-tier polls to elect the government at federal, state and local level. The polls did not only institutionalise the new federal polity but also put a strong government in place. Elections are the important measures to test the popularity of the parties- be they are in power or outside it. The outcomes of the recently held by-elections for the post of one federal lawmaker, state assembly members and representatives of local units have been widely debated, with ruling and opposition parties interpreting their outcomes in their own terms.

Of the total 52 posts, the ruling Nepal Communist Party (NCP) garnered 31, opposition Nepali Congress (NC) 13, Socialist Party 4, Ratsriya Janata Party (RJP) 3, Rastriya Janamorcha (left alliance) 1 and independent (NCP rebel)1. Although the ruling party bagged the highest number of seat, the opposition claim important victories in the places dominated by the communist supporters. The by-poll results have been seen as a clear message to the all parties that participated in them.

The other day NCP’s senior leader Madhav Kumar Nepal expressed concern over the by-polls’ results and stressed on the rigorous review of it. He has seen it as a warning sign to the party that runs the government with the sweeping mandate. The NCP has instructed its lower committees to present report on the by-polls to it without delay so that it will be able to plug the hole in time and earn the greater trust of the people. The by-polls’ outcomes must not be taken otherwise given that the party failed to complete the unification process from the centre to the grassroots level within the stipulated timeframe. Now it is imperative to mobilise the entire party machinery to propagate the good works of government and enforce the annual policies and programmes effectively by taking the bureaucracy and concerned stakeholders into confidence to achieve the desired outcomes.