UCPN (Maoist) Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal and the party´s vice-chairmen -- Baburam Bhattarai and Narayankaji Shrestha -- also pressed the government to announce poll date without delay.[break]
Head of the interim election government Khil Raj Regmi and three ministers, who are members of the talks team, during the meeting sought the UCPN (Maoist)´s views on contentious provisions proposed for inclusion in the election laws.
“The Maoist leaders insisted that the new provisions not be included in the election laws saying such a move would only complicate the election process. They also demanded that poll date be announced without including new provisions and criteria,” said a government source privy to the development.
The UCPN (Maoist) is against the proposed provisions on eligibility threshold, downsizing CA, disclosure of property details of candidates prior to election and on candidates with criminal background, among others.
The Election Commission has proposed introduction of a threshold provision requiring a political party to get at least one percent of the total valid votes cast to secure seat under proportional quota. It has also proposed downsizing the Constituent Assembly from 601 to 491 seats. Similarly, a proposed provision requires that the candidates contenting election must disclose his/her property details prior to filing candidacy. Likewise, a person convicted by a court on criminal charges can file candidacy only six years after serving jail term for the offence.
While the UCPN (Maoist), some Madhes-based parties and some fringe parties are against the proposed provisions, Nepali Congress and CPN-UML leaders have been lobbying in favor of the provisions.
Government head Khil Raj Regmi and ministers had earlier held talks with the Nepali Congress and UML leaders on the same issues.
“The agenda items discussed during the meeting include the proposed threshold provision, the seats to be allocated under proportional quota, poll date and some other election-related issues,” said a statement issued by Regmi´s Press Advisor Bimal Gautam.
The government team also held talks with leaders Federal Socialist Party (FSP) on Wednesday evening.
FSP optimistic after talks with govt
FSP leaders involved in the talks said they are making headway in the dialogues as their differences with the government had been narrowed down.
FSP Vice-chairman Gopal Thakur, who also participated in the talks, said he found the government making serious efforts toward addressing their concerns.
“The government doesn´t want to include new provisions in the election laws but some of the political parties such as the Nepali Congress and the UML are rigid. We have yet to see whether the government takes a decision based on the views of various political parties or becomes influenced by some of them,” Thakur told Republica.
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