After the ordinance

The new ordinance on registration of new voters is only the first step towards timely elections.

On Wednesday, President Ramchandra Paudel, on the recommendation of the interim government, issued an ordinance to amend the election laws enabling new voters to register for the upcoming snap polls. By issuing the ordinance, the government has avoided a grave democratic deficit as tens of thousands of new voters poised to cast their first ballot would otherwise have been disenfranchised. As any democracy’s legitimacy lies in inclusion, an election that leaves out new voices is a meaningless ritual. By enabling new voters to register, the government has reaffirmed the social contract, breathing life into representative democracy. Therefore, the ordinance must be welcomed.