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| Top leaders of four parties during a meeting with Constituent Assembly Chairman Subas Nembang at Singha Darbar in Kathmandu on Saturday.Photographer: Shaligram Tiwari |
KATHMANDU, JUL 26 - In a first, top leaders of major parties have agreed on a specific date proposed by Constituent Assembly (CA) Chairman Subas Nembang for the promulgation of the constitution. The head of constitution drafting body on Saturday proposed August 16 as a date for the promulgation of new charter.
In a meeting with top leaders of Nepali Congress, CPN-UML, UCPN (Maoist) and Madhesi Janadhikar Forum-Loktantrik on Saturday, Nembang said all the processes could be completed by August 10, and the constitution could be announced on August 16.
Prime Minister and Congress President Sushil Koirala, CPN-UML Chairman KP Oli, Maoist Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal and MJF-L Chairman Bijaya Kumar Gachhadar met Nembang to enquire about the minimum time required to fulfill the procedures.
After Nembang’s assurance, the leaders said they would make preparations to promulgate the new constitution within that date.
They also asked the CA chairman to prepare a calendar accordingly.
Earlier on Friday, the parties had decided to bring out the new constitution within August 10.
Nembang told the leaders of the major parties that the constitution is possible by that date but many provisions of CA rules of procedures should be suspended. Madhes-based parties and some fringe parties are, however, against the move to curtail the process. The major parties had reached an understanding to “fast track” an otherwise lengthy promulgation process.
The Committee on Citizen Relations and Public Opinion Collection is yet to submit its report on feedback on draft constitution to the CA.
The committee submits its report to the CA, which will forward it to the Political Dialogue and Consensus Committee (PDCC) for revision of the draft. After receiving the revised draft from the PDCC, the full House of CA will hand it over to the Constitution Drafting Committee. The CDC will then table the constitution draft as a bill in the Assembly which should be endorsed by a two-thirds majority. The CA chair will authenticate the bill and the President unveils it amid a ceremony.
“I have urged top leaders to modify the draft on the basis of suggestions provided by the people assuring them that it is possible to draft constitution no later than August 16 or 17,” Nembang told the Post on Saturday. He also requested the top leaders to reach out to Madhes-based parties to address their concerns and promulgate the charter with demarcation of federal states. President Ram Baran Yadav has also pressed the parties to settle the demarcation of federal units, respecting the recent Supreme Court order.
In a meeting on Friday, President Yadav had urged Prime Minister Sushil Koirala and CA Chair Nembang to settle the demarcation of states before the constitution promulgation.
Four parties ‘to incorporate public views’
The four major political parties on Saturday agreed in principle to promulgate the new constitution by incorporating pubic suggestions on the draft constitution.
In a meeting held at the Prime Minister Sushil Koirala’s residence in Baluwatar, top leaders of the four major parties agreed to incorporate genuine suggestions put forth by the public and promulgate the new constitution latest by mid-August.
During the three-hour-long meeting, Koirala, CPN-UML chief KP Sharma Oli, UCPN (M) Chair Pushpa Kamal Dahal and Madhesi Janadhikar Forum-Loktantrik Chairman Bijaya Kumar Gachchadar, also discussed on making maximum efforts to delineate provinces before promulgating the new statute.
“We are committed to incorporate people’s feedback and resolve the demarcation row as demanded by disgruntled parties and other groups.
Leaders present in the meeting said they would hold further discussions on the matters with second-rung leaders of the major parties on Sunday morning. “Principally, the leaders have agreed to incorporate the people’s suggestions and take dissident forces into confidence by adopting maximum flexibility,” Maoist Central Committee member Choodamani Khadka quoted Chairman Dahal as saying.
The top leaders are reportedly in a fix over how to move ahead as the majority of people are found to be against some provisions of the draft constitution. Contrary to the spirit of the 16-point agreement to go for a House-elected Prime Minister as head of the government, many suggested the CA to go for a directly elected executive head, ensure citizenship card after father ‘or’ mother’s name, and replace secular state with religious freedom in the draft constitution to define Nepal.
Besides, disgruntled Madhes-based parties and other right groups are demanding that provinces be delineated before promulgating the new constitution. The 16-point deal among major parties plans to delineate the country into eight provinces.
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