The head of state sought advice from former chief justices Anup Raj Sharma, Min Bahadur Rayamajhi and Ram Prasad Shrestha with regard to ending the political stalemate a day after he had convened a meeting of leaders from major political parties and told them it was high time they found a political solution in consensus.[break]
One of the former chief justices, however, opined that reinstatement of the Constituent Assembly (CA), albeit only in the capacity of a legislature, might also be an option to end the stalemate.
"All three former chief justices were one on the idea that fresh elections was the best option. But one of them also argued that CA reinstatement for a limited purpose and a brief period can be one of the alternatives provided the political parties reach an agreement to this effect," Surya Dhungel, legal advisor to the president, told Republica.
Dhungel, however, did not name the former chief justice who advised the president that CA revival might be explored as an option.
He said all three former chief justices gave special emphasis to fresh polls because the Supreme Court in its verdict had suggested that elections could be one possible option and also because the CA had already been extended for two years beyond its original two-year term.
According to him, the former chief justice who argued that CA revival could be mulled as a possible option was also of the view that reinstatement of the legislative body would be for the purpose of removing constitutional as well as legal complications. "He was of the opinion that existence of the legislative body might ease the constitutional complexities for both forming a consensus government and going for fresh polls," Dhungel explained.
He was quick to add that reinstatement of the 601-member body could only be in its capacity of parliament, not as the CA. The CA had earlier functioned both as CA and parliament.
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