Elections set to restore normalcy in Nepal red cross society after prolonged dispute
Kathmandu: The Nepal Red Cross Society, which has been embroiled in a leadership dispute for the past seven years, is now expected to resolve the issue through upcoming elections.
Following the 18th amendment to the Society’s statute, 2020, dates have been fixed for electing new leadership at all levels. General Secretary Min Bahadur Malla informed that the process has begun after the current working committee was entrusted with the responsibility of conducting conventions at all levels through the amended statute.
According to Malla, ad hoc committees have been formed at the municipal level ahead of the elections. He stated that these committees have been established for one month to facilitate the formation of new branches and will be dissolved once the elections are completed and new working committees are in place.
Shakun Kumar Joshi from the Society’s General Services and Coordination Department said that municipal-level elections will be held on Baisakh 26 and Jestha 2. Elections in Gandaki, Lumbini, Karnali and Sudurpaschim provinces will take place on Baisakh 26, while those in Koshi, Madhesh and Bagmati provinces are scheduled for Jestha 2.
He further informed that district-level elections will be conducted from Jestha 23 to 30, followed by provincial-level elections from Ashad 6 to 13. Elections for the central working committee are expected to be completed by mid-Ashad. The Society is also running a membership distribution campaign in preparation for the elections.
The Society had faced controversy after failing to hold regular elections in 2075 BS. Although an ad hoc committee led by Dr. Netra Prasad Timilsena was formed in 2077 BS and leadership was handed over through elections in 2080 BS, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies later recommended the suspension of the newly formed working committee.
Subsequently, the Ministry of Women, Children and Senior Citizens suspended the Central Working Committee led by then President Sudarshan Prasad Nepal on Shrawan 9, 2082 BS. Following this, the government formed a nine-member working committee under Dr. Binod Kumar Sharma and directed it to conduct elections at local, district, provincial and central levels within the upcoming Ashar.
Malla stated that the government led by then Prime Minister Sushila Karki had earlier published a notice in the Gazette on November 20, assigning responsibility for elections at all levels, and the election schedule has been prepared accordingly.
He also noted that although the country has adopted a federal system, the Red Cross structure had not yet been federalized. With the recent statute amendment, local-level branches have now been established in line with the federal system, and elections will be conducted accordingly. He expressed confidence that the Society will return to normalcy after the elections.
Malla added that there are plans to position municipal-level branches in service delivery roles, district branches in coordination roles, and 103 sub-branches across the country in coordination with municipalities.
The revised statute also limits individuals from serving more than two terms in the working committee. Additionally, the Society will form five commissions: Election Commission, Red Cross Service Commission, Mediation and Compliance Commission, Youth Commission, and Finance Commission. The Nepal Red Cross Society currently has approximately 1.2 million members.