Waging Peace:  Nepal

Monitoring Elections

Constituent Assembly Election 2008
After a decade-long conflict, a comprehensive peace agreement between the government of Nepal and Maoist rebel leaders called for the creation of an interim constitution, monitoring of the arms and armies of the state and the Maoists by the United Nations, establishment of an interim transitional assembly and government that included the Maoists, and an election to form a constituent assembly. After two previous postponements, the constituent assembly election was held on April 10, 2008.  The main task of the elected constituent assembly is to complete the writing of a new constitution.

In countries emerging from long-term conflicts, a strong international observer presence has the capability to build confidence in the electoral process and, if necessary and appropriate, help mediate acceptance of credible election results. The government of Nepal, the Election Commission, the Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist), the Nepali Congress, the Communist Party of Nepal (United Marxist-Leninist), and various other political parties invited The Carter Center to monitor Nepal's electoral process.

The Carter Center launched an international election observation mission in Nepal with the deployment of 13 long-term observers in all regions of the country on March 9, 2007. The Carter Center mission was managed in Nepal through a field office, established in Kathmandu in January 2007.  Despite two election date postponements, the Center maintained its observation presence in country throughout the entire electoral process to continually monitor and report on the evolving political situation.  The Carter Center's mission issued several statements to share its assessment and to offer recommendations on preparations for the election.

The Center deployed a larger, short-term delegation of 62 observers from more than 20 countries to observe the April 10, 2008, constituent assembly election.  Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter and his wife, Rosalynn, led the Center's international election observation delegation to Nepal with Dr. Surakiart Sathirathai, former deputy prime minister of Thailand.

Despite worries caused by a pre-electoral period marred by incidents of violence, Carter Center observers found that on election day the majority of Nepali voters participated in a remarkable and relatively peaceful constituent assembly election with the overall election administration being well-executed.

The Carter Center's long-term observers remained in Nepal to observe the postelection period, including the counting procedures, re-polling in areas where irregularities occurred on election day, the complaints process, and the final declaration of results. While some irregularities were observed during the postelection period, the overall counting of results was judged to be impartial with all political parties accepting the results.