In a letter submitted to top leaders of four major parties, NC leader Nidhi, who is also the minister for Physical Infrastructures and Transport, said the provisions in the preliminary draft constitution are not appropriate as they fail to take into account the practical difficulties of cross-border marriage common in Tarai districts."Women, in our culture, live in their husband's houses after marriage. This should not be overlooked. The proposed provision on citizenship is unscientific, humiliating and discriminatory to women," said Nidhi.
"The proposed draft constitution says only those Nepali citizens who have acquired citizenship by decent would be eligible for the posts of president, vice president, prime minister, speaker, deputy speaker, chief minister and chiefs of security agencies. This is not appropriate," he said.
Nidhi has urged top leaders of major political parties to retain the provision in the Interim Constitution with regards to delineation of electoral constituencies.
Although there has been an agreement to keep 165 electoral constituencies, Nidhi has said the Electoral Constituency Delineation Commission may fail to draw electoral constituencies on the basis of population without specific criteria for delineation.
Nidhi has expressed dissatisfaction over undivided district and region campaigns, saying that this goes against the basic spirit of federalism. He has asked top political leaders to rise above their petty interests and draw provincial boundaries on the basis of demographic composition and other aspects of 165 electoral constituencies as decided earlier.
Related story
Comparing constitutions
