"The meeting unanimously passed the CC chairman´s proposal to forward the report along with other details to the subcommittee," read a statement issued by Tek Prasad Dhungana, secretary at the CC. The committee was tasked with preparing the integrated draft of the new constitution by incorporating all eleven thematic reports.[break]
In January, the divided 9-member SRC submitted two separate reports on delineation of provinces and distribution of state powers to be included in the new deferal constitution. Majority of members recommended an 11-province (including one non-territorial) model while the minority group proposed a six-province model.
The reports however, failed to impress political parties and it was widely criticized outside the CA as well.
At the CC meeting on Saturday, lawmakers from UCPN (Maoist) said they welcomed the SRC report as it has adopted identity as the major basis for state restructuring, even if it was only in priciple. Lawmakers from other parties including Nepali Congress (NC) and CPN-UML said the SRC reports had further complicated situation by entering into issues already settled by the CA´s thematic committee on state restructuring.
Maoist lawmakers fovor the 11-province model, which is delineated based on ethnicity model. The Maoists however have described the reports as flawed. They criticized the commission over its proposal on delineation of provinces and distribution of powers, among other issues.
The majority report has also been widely criticized for keeping the local levels under the purview of the state. However, the minority report has made it mandatory for three-tier federal system.
The subcommittee, which is headed by UCPN (Maoist) Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal with top leaders from other political parties as its members, has been given until April 17 to resolve remaining disputes in constitution writing.
CA Chairman Subas Nembang on Thursday said he would convene a full sittings of the CA starting April 18 to vote on undecided provisions.
Besides the issues on state restructuring, the leaders are yet to decide on the system of governance in the new federal constitution. And differences also remain on judicial and electoral system.
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