Right to Recall in Democratic Governance: Is It Practically Feasible in Nepal? A Comparative Systematic Review

The Right to Recall (RTR) is a form of direct democracy that can provide an opportunity for voters to 
recall the elected representatives before the end of their term and in turn enhance the accountability 
beyond the elections. This study assesses the feasibility of Right to Recall (RTR) in Nepal by 
exploring and comparing international experiences. It reviews and analyses 52 peer-reviewed articles 
and policy papers from the original 18,900 articles in large academic databases using PRISMA 
methodology. This study is grounded in theories such as Principal- Agent Theory, Participatory 
Democracy, Institutionalism and Democratic Accountability to examine the application of recall in 
various political settings. The study's analysis on the US, Canada, UK, Taiwan, Philippines and Kenya 
shows variation in the institutional features as to the number of signatures, recall grounds and 
safeguards. The study shows that recall can promote democratic accountability, participation and 
responsiveness but the success of recall is contingent on political stability, capacity and awareness. 
The Constitution of Nepal 2015 does not have the mid-term accountability mechanism in Nepal and 
faces the problem of accountability deficit. The research finds that RTR can be introduced and used 
conditionally and effectively if contextualised and offered to the people in a gradual manner such as 
with lower signature (20-30 percent) requirements, legal safeguards and local applications. The study 
will also contribute to the electoral reform debate as it provides some evidence-based suggestions to 
the problem of balancing democratic empowerment and political stability.