Lawmakers for endorsing amendment bill with agitating parties' consent

KATHMANDU, Dec 29: Lawmakers have urged both the agitating parties and top leaders from the ruling and opposition parties for their support to endorse the constitution amendment bill through consensus.

Stressing on the need to take the agitating parties into confidence for consensus to endorse the bill from the parliament, lawmakers urged not to delay the bill under any pretext.  


The deliberations on constitution amendment bill continued for second consecutive day on Tuesday amidst the sloganeering and protest from the agitating Madhes-based political parties.

“The agitating parties should take part in the deliberations and support endorsing the bill rather than continuing sit-ins at Nepal-India entry points,” said Prakash Sharan Mahat of the main opposition Nepali Congress (NC).

Most of the lawmakers from major political parties claimed that the amendment proposal addressed most of the concerns raised by the agitating parties.

Sher Bahadur Tamang of the CPN-UML said that support from all major political parties and agitating forces is required to endorse the bill. “The amendment proposal itself has the solution. It guarantees rearranging constituencies based on population by taking consideration of geography and proportional inclusion,” said Tamang.

Ranju Jha from the same party also urged the agitating parties to seek solution through dialogue and support to endorse the bill.

Nisha Kumari Sah of the UCPN (Maoist) opined that parties should focus on provincial demarcation issue after endorsing the amendment bill without any delay. “Another amendment proposal could be brought to address the concerns of the marginalized communities and boundary issues, but endorsement of this amendment bill is a must,” said Sah.

Madhesi Peoples Right Forum Democratic lawmaker Yogendra Chaudhari however warned not to support the endorsement of the bill without reaching a consensus with the agitating parties. “We are not obliged to support the bill if it is pushed forward unilaterally without the consent of the agitating parties,” said Chaudhari. He suggested to seeking broader political support for the endorsement of the bill.

Dilli Kafle of Nepal Labor and Peasants Party, Rewati Raman Bhandari and Krishna Bhakta Pokhrel said that the geographical representation should not be undermined while rearranging the electoral constituencies.  Deliberation on the bill will resume on Thursday's meeting.

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