A meeting of the top Maoist leaders on Monday took a decision to this effect. “We decided not to opt for a brief constitution as there is no guarantee that disputes over constitutional provisions will be settled later,” said UCPN (Maoist) Vice-Chairman Narayankaji Shrestha. [break]
Various constitutional experts including Nembang have been stating that the CA can promulgate a brief constitution on May 28, deferring the contentious issues including federalism to a later date.
Nembang says he floated the proposal as the deadline for constitution-making is fast approaching, and the political parties have so far failed to agree on major constitutional provisions. “This was done in Belgium. And we can also do it in Nepal if the political parties failed to garner consensus on constitution-drafting,” Nembang said talking to myrepublica.com.
According to the proponents of brief constitution, the legislature-parliament will continue working on settling the issues including federalism even if the CA is dissolved on May 28 after promulgating a brief constitution.
For them, this is the most viable option to diffuse the constitutional crisis as the CA can extend its tenure only during the time of emergency. The power of the legislature-parliament to extend the CA deadline through amendment to the interim constitution is disputed.
“It will also not be a brief constitution, either. It will be clearly written that such and such things will be carried out as per the laws, which the legislature-parliament will continue to formulate,” said Nembang.
But the Maoists have decided to go against the brief constitution. “If we cannot resolve the issues now, how will it be possible later?” said Maoist Vice-Chairman Shrestha.
Maoists for voting to send reports to CC
The Maoist meeting on Monday also decided to push for a vote at the CA meeting to transfer the reports of the thematic committees to the Constitutional Committee (CC) for the preparation of the first integrated draft.
“We can hold a vote and speed up the constitution-making process,” said Shrestha. The CA full meeting has to send the reports of 11 thematic committees to the CC for the preparation of a draft constitution, but nine of the reports have not been sent yet due to sharp differences among the parties. On Friday, the CC missed its deadline to prepare the first consolidated draft of the constitution.
Maoists to make a joint front to push their agendas
Meanwhile, Maoists have decided to make a joint front to push their agendas of “national independence, civilian supremacy, peace, constitution and national unity government”.
The Monday’s meeting of the party decided to forge an alliance with leftist and nationalist forces to bat for the agendas. The party has also decided to come up with concrete programs at local levels to sensitize people about its agendas.
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