Kathmandu, Dec. 5 -- Elections are undeniably necessary-yet simply holding one is not a solution. The very reasons for calling an early election demand serious debate, and that debate should shape the political agenda for the election. Rushing to the polls merely to restore what was lost risks reinforcing the same cycle of instability. Few leaders are willing to examine why citizens were pushed to such extremes or how law and order deteriorated so rapidly. While the timing, the date of the election, and post-election power plays dominate discussions, the most critical question remains unanswered: why are we holding it in the first place?

Some seem to believe that a fresh election will mirror the midterm polls of 1994, but today's context...