KATHMANDU, Aug 22: The Constitutional Council (CC) headed by Prime Minister KP Oli has started the process to give full shape to eight different statutory commissions as provisioned in the constitution promulgated in September 2015. 

The CC Secretariat in a public notice on Tuesday invited applications from all interested and eligible candidates for the post of chairpersons and members of eight different constitutional commissions to give shape to the body through open competition. 

These commissions include National Natural Resources and Finance Commission, National Women's Commission, National Dalit Commission, National Inclusion Commission, National Indigenous Nationalities Commission, National Madhesi Commission, National Tharu Commission and National Muslim Commission.  

Except for National Natural Resources and Finance Commission, the remaining seven ad hoc commissions aimed at ensuring inclusion of all groups of people in all state structures are temporary. The terms of all these constitutional bodies have already expired almost by three years as they are subject to review in 10 years since the promulgation of the constitution.

Prime Minister Oli's press advisor Kundan Aryal said the government is working on priority basis. “The CC will receive applications from interested candidates. The candidates will be scrutinized before the beginning of the appointment process,” he told Republica. 

A meeting of the CC is scheduled for Friday. The meeting is likely to pick the chief justice and chief of the Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA) and one of its members. 

The constitution provisions a total of 13 constitutional commissions including seven ad hoc ones. Six of these constitutional bodies – CIAA, Office of the Auditor General, Public Service Commission, Election Commission, National Human Rights Commission and National Natural Resource and Finance Commission -- are permanent bodies.

CC's move comes amid criticisms that the Oli government had failed to give full shape to the various eight new commissions even after six months in office. The government has also failed to pick a head for the anti-graft body — something very vital to fulfill the pledge of the prime minister to ensure good governance and accountability.

 
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