The party leaders reached an agreement to this effect during a meeting convened by CC Chairman Nilambar Acharya on Wednesday. [break]
“The parties have agreed to form a subcommittee. We will decide about its composition and leadership in the next meeting on Thursday,” said Acharya.
The political parties are at loggerheads over major constitutional provisions, including the system of governance and restructuring of the state.
“It is also necessary to form a state restructuring commission and forge consensus on taking the peace process to its logical end,” said Nepali Congress (NC) Parliamentary Party leader Ram Chandra Paudel after the meeting.
The interim constitution provides for the formation of state restructuring commission comprising experts to assist the CA in restructuring the state.
Paudel stated the government should immediately form such a commission.
However, Maoists argued that there is no need for such a commission as the CA Committee on State Restructuring has already completed its reports.
“Forming a state restructuring commission would infringe upon the jurisdiction of the CA. So this provision should be scrapped from the constitution through an amendment,” said Maoist leader Dev Gurung. He argued that such a commission should have been formed before the CA committee began its work.
Prime Minister Jhalanath Khanal, Maoist Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal, NC Parliamentary Party leader Poudel, among others, were present at the meeting.
According to the leaders, representatives from Madhes-based parties would also be inducted into the subcommittee.
Of the 11 thematic committees, the CC has received the reports of 10 committees.
However, the CA full meeting is yet to submit the reports of the CA committee on state restructuring. With consensus on outstanding constitutional issues still eluding the parties, the CC plans to send the disputed issues to the full CA meeting for voting after settling as many as possible in the subcommittee.
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