DIWAKAR CHETTRI
Five years after the election of the first Constituent Assembly and 18 months after its
unceremonious demise, the country will give it another try in three weeks. Despite general cynicism about repeating an exercise that failed to live up to its expectations, people are hopeful that the next CA will build on the work done so far to deliver a new constitution. But more than anything else, that hope hinges on the conduction of
free, fair, and fear-free polls. But politicians no longer fear the people, have no shame, no scruples, no principles. Except for the UML, the other parties have packed their proportional representation lists with wives and relatives. Most of the same candidates are up for re-election in Round 2 of the direct ballot. Given the limitations of our
democracy, the only difference people can make now is to vote for all new faces.