CC discusses emergency provision

KATHMANDU, Oct 28: The Maoists have proposed that the federal government be allowed to declare a state of the emergency in a province after the latter´s approval. In a meeting of the Constitutional Committee (CC) of the Constituent assembly (CA), the Maoists proposed that if the federal government is given the power to declare emergency in the provinces on its own, it would severely curtail the power of the provincial government.



“If an emergency is to be imposed all over the country, the federal government should take the approval of all the provincial governments,” said Maoist CA member Dev Gurung.



The Maoists also opposed the proposal tabled by other political parties that the government can impose a state of emergency if there is an “armed rebellion” in the country. But Gurung argued that it is the right of people to revolt. So, he insisted that the CC include “armed military rebellion” instead.



A majority of CA members said that the new constitution should include a provision so that the government would not misuse its power as happened earlier.



Prem Bahadur Singh, Chitra Bahadur KC, Dr Prakash Chandra Lohani and Laxman Lal Karna, among other CA members, suggested that the parliament not be dissolved when the state of emergency is in place in the country.



Singh proposed that a mechanism be built so as to stop miscarriage of justice during the emergency period.

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