House proceeds amid protest from UDMF lawmakers
KATHMANDU, Dec 15: Amid protests from agitating Madhes-based political parties, the government tabled the much-hyped constitution amendment bill in Parliament on Tuesday.
Similarly, paving the way for endorsement of the reconstruction authority bill, a report of the Bills Committee of Parliament, suggesting major revisions in the bill, has also been presented in the House.
As they are opposed to the constitution amendment bill, lawmakers from United Democratic Madhesi Front (UDMF) picketed the well of the House and engaged in sloganeering when the two bills were being tabled. Despite the picketing, Speaker Onsari Gharti did not stall the parliamentary proceedings.
Both bills had remained stuck as the main opposition Nepali Congress (NC) and the agitating UDMF were at odds over forwarding them.
UDMF had lifted its obstruction only for endorsing the reconstruction authority bill, citing humanitarian concerns. Though the main opposition NC insisted on presenting both bills together for endorsement at the same meeting, UDMF had been opposing this.
Both the reconstruction authority and amendment bills were registered by the outgoing Koirala government. But NC opposed the bill after the ruling parties proposed to discontinue the NC-appointed chief executive officer of the National Reconstruction Authority, which had become defunct after the ordinance to form this body expired as the government failed to table a replacement bill on time.
After rigorous debate for a week, the major parties agreed to table both bills at the same meeting. Previous three meetings had been adjourned following NC's obstruction for not tabling the constitution amendment bill. NC lifted its obstruction only after both bills were forwarded at the same meeting.
The agitating UDMF has objected over the ruling parties and the main opposition tabling the constitution amendment bill despite its protest.
“We see that this government is no longer democratic as it has tabled the bill despite our obstruction in Parliament. We are going to discuss whether we should continue the dialogue with the government,” said Shadbhawana Party lawmaker Laxman Lal Karna, after the House meeting. Karna accused the ruling parties of breaching parliamentary practice and running the House business despite the picketing.
UDMF has said that the constitution amendment bill is incomplete and cannot address the demands of the ongoing Madhes movement. However, NC has been insisting on endorsing the bill, stating that it aims to include a provision on proportionate inclusion and reorganizing of constituencies on the basis of population.
The reconstruction authority bill is expected to get endorsed after brief discussions in the House meeting scheduled for 4 pm Wednesday.
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