1980 Nepalese governmental system referendum

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1980 Nepalese governmental system referendum
Flag of Nepal.svg
2 May 1980

Results
Choice
Votes %
Panchayat system 2,433,45254.79%
Multi-party system 2,007,96545.21%
Valid votes4,441,41792.27%
Invalid or blank votes372,0697.73%
Total votes4,813,486100.00%
Registered voters/turnout7,192,45166.92%

1980 Nepal Referendum.svg
Results by district

A referendum on the system of government was held in Nepal on 2 May 1980. Voters were offered the choice between a non-partisan panchayat system and a multi-party system. The panchayat system received a slim majority of 54.99%, whereas Multi-Party System only received 45.2% of the total votes. Voter turnout was 66.9%. [1]

Contents

Background

With the backdrop of mass student protests against his rule in the spring of 1979, King Birendra made a public declaration on May 23, 1979, that a referendum with universal adult suffrage with secret vote would be held in which the people of Nepal would be able to choose between introducing a multiparty system or retain the non-party panchayat regime. [2]

On 21 January 1980, King Birendra published the Referendum Rules, stating that after the referendum 'His Majesty shall make such provisions in the Constitution of Nepal as may deem necessary'. [3]

Method of voting

Nepalese citizens aged 21 and above were eligible to vote. [4] The voters would mark their choice by stamping either of two colours on the ballot paper, blue for the multiparty system and yellow for the non-party panchayat system. It was speculated at the time that the choice of colours had not been coincidental, since the yellow colour was associated with saintly religious qualities. There is no empirical evidence though, that the choice of colours affected the outcome of the vote. [5]

Results

ChoiceVotes%
Panchayat2,433,45254.79
Multi-party2,007,96545.21
Invalid/blank votes372,069
Total4,813,486100
Registered voters/turnout7,192,45166.92
Source: Nohlen et al., Rishikesh, sudd.ch

By region

ChoiceHills Inner-Tarai MountainsPlains
Votes%Votes%Votes%Votes%
Panchayat1,126,16957.287,89534.0228,61771.1848,75444.6
Multi-party844,12442.8139,02166.086,65828.9938,16255.4
Invalid/blank votes158,58120,64525,06169,041
Total2,127,615100278,780100340,3381002,066,753100
Source: Rishikesh

By district

The panchayat partyless system option got a majority in 54 out of the 75 districts of Nepal. The highest percentage of pro-panchayat votes was recorded in Dolpo (96.4%), the lowest in Bhaktapur (34.4%). The highest scores for the multiparty system option were recorded in Bhaktapur (65.6%), Udaipur (65.1%), Siraha (64%) and Bardiya (62.1%). In general, the multiparty system option performed better in areas with higher literacy levels.

DistrictElectorateTurnoutInvalid votesVotesProportion of votes
PanchayatMultipartyPanchayatMultiparty
Jhapa District 168,18481.61%10,72172,33754,19857.17%42.83%
Ilam District 76,14277.26%5,45928,52524,84153.45%46.55%
Panchthar District 71,51473.78%2,79728,44221,52356.92%43.08%
Taplejung District 56,78559.83%3,36817,59713,01257.49%42.51%
Morang District 208,77479.37%14,73772,58978,38248.08%51.92%
Sunsari District 152,00082.17%11,35354,85358,69648.31%51.69%
Dhankuta District 61,48371.61%2,26931,49610,26575.42%24.58%
Bhojpur District 100,28960.45%3,59537,08319,95165.02%34.98%
Tehrathum District 47,39064.95%1,69618,17110,91262.48%37.52%
Sankhuwasabha District 68,19061.77%3,02125,56013,54265.37%34.63%
Siraha District 196,87579.37%15,65250,54390,06535.95%64.05%
Saptari District 197,30376.82%10,18971,05370,32250.26%49.74%
Udayapur District 68,73056.47%3,28912,39323,13334.88%65.12%
Okhaldhunga District 69,35158.43%1,84827,06211,61469.97%30.03%
Khotang District 107,06460.83%2,27646,57616,27074.11%25.89%
Solukhumbu District 44,81662.94%1,52220,2246,46175.79%24.21%
Sarlahi District 197,39672.85%6,51058,40978,88942.54%57.46%
Dhanusha District 207,69576.49%16,54574,79667,52052.56%47.44%
Mahottari District 187,55272.99%7,50970,88158,49854.79%45.21%
Sindhuli District 79,32859.75%1,01227,30819,07758.87%41.13%
Ramechhap District 86,39752.17%2,62224,93017,52258.73%41.27%
Dolakha District 82,91250.57%2,16427,98711,78170.38%29.62%
Dhading District 121,87553.79%4,05139,93221,57264.93%35.07%
Nuwakot District 100,67961.45%8,88640,48612,50076.41%23.59%
Rasuwa District 15,42385.30%7139,2893,15474.65%25.35%
Kathmandu District 219,96872.73%7,95668,14083,88444.82%55.18%
Lalitpur District 85,18978.82%3,63124,47239,04338.53%61.47%
Bhaktapur District 76,11680.26%2,81421,34636,92836.63%63.37%
Kavrepalanchok District 149,69758.00%6,51549,23031,08461.30%38.70%
Sindhupalchok District 119,73657.27%4,49043,26920,80867.53%32.47%
Makwanpur District 104,73261.39%3,89634,96025,44357.88%42.12%
Chitwan District 105,88972.52%5,84231,21939,73144.00%56.00%
Bara District 146,91976.49%5,82763,11443,44159.23%40.77%
Parsa District 141,84172.12%8,34363,86230,09167.97%32.03%
Rautahat District 168,08371.52%6,52654,38959,29447.84%52.16%
Tanahun District 110,05262.50%6,38424,15638,24338.71%61.29%
Gorkha District 114,68663.63%4,85743,56724,55663.95%36.05%
Lamjung District 76,89268.40%3,70824,93923,95051.01%48.99%
Kaski District 111,22167.76%5,57930,01239,76943.01%56.99%
Syangja District 148,93964.98%8,63246,20541,94152.42%47.58%
Manang District 3,96090.18%353,04349386.06%13.94%
Rupandehi District 163,34771.17%9,38052,66454,20449.28%50.72%
Nawalparasi District 128,45673.39%7,15947,27539,84254.27%45.73%
Kapilvastu District 136,31275.09%6,90849,75145,70052.12%47.88%
Gulmi District 128,16863.13%8,90436,27935,73550.38%49.62%
Arghakhanchi District 79,90056.53%3,00121,81220,35651.73%48.27%
Palpa District 101,93063.52%3,95626,96133,83144.35%55.65%
Parbat District 80,16562.25%2,12830,83116,94564.53%35.47%
Myagdi District 47,75569.59%1,14921,03611,04965.56%34.44%
Mustang District 7,92487.06%3215,89868089.66%10.34%
Baglung District 113,04663.94%5,71245,05921,51667.68%32.32%
Humla District 34,92078.69%1,85721,5184,10283.99%16.01%
Jumla District 11,48071.04%6174,7832,75563.45%36.55%
Dolpa District 11,51891.86%9849,26133696.50%3.50%
Mugu District 21,35776.89%1,22212,8442,35684.50%15.50%
Kalikot District 44,69477.76%4,02926,2114,51685.30%14.70%
Dang District 113,07062.58%6,28329,17335,30345.25%54.75%
Salyan District 72,13355.37%3,11721,75515,07059.08%40.92%
Pyuthan District 77,30858.12%2,66630,24512,01971.56%28.44%
Rolpa District 85,14752.84%3,59928,98312,40870.02%29.98%
Rukum District 62,45356.84%6,09919,9199,47867.76%32.24%
Banke District 90,33173.91%7,85637,76921,13864.12%35.88%
Bardiya District 74,22080.83%9,35319,19231,44837.90%62.10%
Surkhet District 66,21667.83%4,11919,02121,77746.62%53.38%
Dailekh District 80,87755.56%3,84326,35714,73964.14%35.86%
Jajarkot District 46,39261.44%7,66711,8059,03356.65%43.35%
Kailali District 109,63859.32%10,22527,70327,10450.55%49.45%
Doti District 81,66341.36%3,08015,13515,55949.31%50.69%
Achham District 106,71247.25%3,84928,35018,22660.87%39.13%
Bajhang District 65,94758.41%2,48625,32510,70770.28%29.72%
Bajura District 37,21558.30%1,55714,4165,72371.58%28.42%
Kanchanpur District 72,32158.02%4,24818,38219,33048.74%51.26%
Dadeldhura District 45,60047.89%2,3089,23510,29647.28%52.72%
Baitadi District 92,37738.80%2,28718,30815,24554.56%45.44%
Darchula District 43,77252.24%1,16714,6617,04067.56%32.44%
Source: Election Commission

The Hindu community was more or less evenly divided between the two options. The Muslim community is said to have voted predominantly in favour of the panchayat system. Ethnic groups like Tamang, Sherpa, Magar, Gurung and Kirati overwhelmingly supported the panchayat option, whilst the Tharu are said to have been predominantly in favour of the multiparty system. [6]

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References

  1. Dieter Nohlen, Florian Grotz & Christof Hartmann (2001) Elections in Asia: A data handbook, Volume I, p633 ISBN   0-19-924958-X
  2. Shaha, Rishikesh. Politics in Nepal 1980-1990. New Delhi: Manohar Publications, 1990. p. 51, 69.
  3. Shaha, Rishikesh. Politics in Nepal 1980-1990. New Delhi: Manohar Publications, 1990. p. 62.
  4. Shaha, Rishikesh. Politics in Nepal 1980-1990. New Delhi: Manohar Publications, 1990. p. 80.
  5. Shaha, Rishikesh. Politics in Nepal 1980-1990. New Delhi: Manohar Publications, 1990. p. 68-69.
  6. Shaha, Rishikesh. Politics in Nepal 1980-1990. New Delhi: Manohar Publications, 1990. p. 69-70.