His Majesty King Gyanedra is committed to upholding the democratic rights of the people. In his proclamation of February 1, 2005, His Majesty said the sole objective of the Royal move was to bring the derailed democratic process back on track. He has also expressed his unflinching commitment to multiparty democracy and constitutional monarchy.
His Majesty’s commitment is total, and no doubt should be raised. His Majesty has sought three years time to bring the security situation to normalcy, conduct the local as well as parliamentary elections and hand over the governance to the people’s representatives.
His Majesty is concerned with the law and order situation, reenergizing the democratic process, protecting the constitution, and progress and prosperity of the people. Only permanent peace and tranquility in the country can lead us towards progress. A road-map presented by His Majesty the King is directed towards attaining permanent peace, where the people can feel safe and secure.
The essence of democracy is election through which people can express their popular will. A true democracy is where people can express their will through the ballot. The successive elected governments of pre-February 1, 2005 were unable to conduct elections despite repeated requests by His Majesty the King. To bring the derailed democracy back on track, His Majesty has presented a road-map.
The road-map presented by His Majesty, to sustainable peace and reenergizing a meaningful democracy, has opened up opportunities for national reconciliation. In a multiparty democracy, the participation of the political parties in the national agenda holds much importance. His Majesty’s call to all the legitimate political forces to participate in the elections could be an opportunity to engage in invigorating the democratic process. Only peace can ensure democracy and democracy can safeguard the rights of the people. Therefore, peace and democracy are inseparable. In the absence of one, the other cannot be sustained.
The country’s local bodies as well as the parliament have been lying vacant for the last four years without elected representatives. The delivery of services to the people has been disrupted, and people are suffering. The election held for the municipalities in February 2006 provided an opportunity to the people to elect their representative. Similarly, the election, which will be held in April 2007 for the parliament should pave the way for revitalising democracy.
His Majesty is in favour of an all-inclusive and meaningful democracy, which could be the solid foundation for national consensus and development. The larger interest of the country lies with democracy, where people can chart out their destiny through their participation. His Majesty’s conviction of a meaningful democracy is attached with the larger interest of the nation.
Democracy flourishes only through the enfranchisement of the people, and democrats will not lose when democracy is upheld. Democracy provides equal opportunities to the people. People are free to associate with any legitimate social as well as political organisation and express their political will through the ballot.
It is believed that the bond of allegiance towards the nation can be fostered greatly in democracy. All people are treated equally under the constitution. Thus, every citizen and political parties have the obligation to uphold the constitution. The liberties of the citizens as guaranteed by the constitution could be strengthened, if people participate in the political mainstream through the use of adult franchise.
Democracy is such a platform that all political actors can play their role free from fear. In any democratic country, elections are the only means to secure constitutional legitimacy to form the government. People exercise their power through elections. In a democratic process, the exercise of adult franchise empowers the people’s supremacy in governance. Therefore, when democracy is upheld, no democrats would lose, instead everybody wins in democracy. In democracy, everybody has the right to vote, but not the right to create obstacles for others in exercising their voting rights.
