The largest party Nepali Congress (NC) has sought more time for making further revisions in the proposals to make changes in the amendment bill.
Altogether 83 lawmakers have separately registered six sets of proposals seeking changes in the amendment bill, which is under discussion in parliament.
Altogether 25 proposals were registered in parliament by over 100 lawmakers from various political parties.
However none of the lawmaker from the ruling CPN-UML sought any changes in the bill as the ruling party wants to endorse the amendment bill without delay.
The main opposition NC has proposed to forward the bill to a parliamentary committee for detailed discussions before doing any revisions.
But, the ruling CPN-UML and UCPN (Maoist) have been lobbying for endorsing the bill without making any changes saying that the bill was registered in the House only after an agreement between the three major political parties - NC, UML and the UCPN (Maoist).
The previous government led by the NC had registered the bill in parliament based on a three-party agreement.
Leaders from the major parties and the agitating Madhesi parties had earlier announced to begin the process to endorse the amendment bill on Tuesday.
Last week's parliament meeting, which was scheduled to endorse the bill, was deferred for Tuesday with a view to give time for interparty talks.
But the talks with the agitating Madhes-based political parties ended without making any progress on Monday evening.
The major political parties not only failed to seal any deal with the agitating parties but also stood divided themselves.
Due to the same reason, Speaker Onsari Gharti during Tuesday's meeting postponed the discussion for Thursday.
Due to the dispute, a meeting of three major political parties earlier in the morning had decided to postpone deliberations on the bill for Thursday.
“We discussed the matter in detail about how to move the amendment proposal forward, and agreed to start deliberations from Thursday with a view to endorse it by Saturday,” said CPN-UML Vice Chairman and Minister for Defense Bhim Rawal after the meeting. He further claimed that the major parties took the decision to give time for consensus between agitating parties.
But another interlocutor of the interparty negotiations said that the decision was taken due to disputes among the major parties themselves. NC's Chief Whip Chinkaji Shrestha admitted that dispute has surfaced among the major parties and a meeting to be convened on Wednesday will finalize the fate of the bill.
“We have proposed forming a special committee to review the 24 amendment proposals regarding the bill and to address the agitating parties' demands in the meantime. But the ruling parties are not ready for that,” said Shrestha. Various NC lawmakers representing from Tarai-Madhes districts have sought revision in the amendment bill. “The ruling parties have been strongly opposing the idea of revising the amendment bill,” said Shrestha.
Major three political parties also discussed about giving continuity for talks with the agitating Madhes-based political parties. “We are open for discussions in any level and ready for consensus,” said Minister Rawal.
However, the agitating United Democratic Madhesi Front (UDMF) leaders blamed the major parties and the government for not being serious toward addressing their demands.
“We had narrowed down differences and reached very close to an accord but major political parties did not become ready to amend any provision of the new constitution,” said Sadbhwana Party Co-chairman Laxman Lal Karna, speaking in parliament Tuesday.
Four parties in the UDMF alliance walked out from the House meeting after airing their views. The UDMF has said that there is no point in holding talks at the level of joint taskforce.
It was tasked to narrow down differences between the two sides and suggest middle-way solutions.
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