The NC lawmakers plan to register their changes at the House secretariat before the 72-hour deadline given by parliament expires at 2 pm, Thursday.
"We are preparing to register a proposal to make changes to the bill. We will first discuss this at a party meeting. Our objective is to register it with the party's consent. If the party does not give its consent, we will register it in our individual capacities," NC lawmaker Ganesh Mandal told Republica.
The NC lawmakers taking the initiative include, besides Mandal, Bimalendra Nidhi, Ram Krishna Yadav, Mahendra Yadav and Amresh Kumar Singh, among others representing the Tarai-Madhes districts.
They propose to reduce from 17 to 10 the number of communities that can qualify for reservation quotas in state organs under the proportional, inclusive representation provision of the new constitution.
The 17 communities included in the quota provision of the new constitution are women, dalits, aadivasi, aadivasi-janajati, Madhesi, Tharu, minority, differently-abled, marginalized, Muslims, backward communities, third-gender, youths, peasants, workers, citizens from oppressed communities or backward regions and Khas-Arya who are economically backward.
But the new proposal includes only women, dalits, aadivasi-janajati, Madhesi, Tharu, Muslims, differently-abled, backward communities, third-gender and those from oppressed communities and backward regions.
Similarly, the NC lawmakers have also proposed some changes in the provision relating to delimitation of electoral constituencies.
The NC leaders said that they prepared the draft proposal after reaching an understanding with leaders from the agitating Madhes-based parties as well.
After holding deliberations on the bill, parliament on Monday gave a 72-hour deadline to lawmakers to register their changes, if any.The amendment bill was registered by the past government led by NC President Sushil Koirala.
Madhesi parties had earlier termed the amendemnt bill unclear.
The major parties and the agitating Madhesi parties have formed a taskforce. The taskforce has a mandate to suggest solutions to the disputes on proposed provincial boundaries, constitutional provisions on inclusion and criteria for delimiting the electoral constituencies.
Related story
'MPRF-D to register own amendment proposal on constitution amen...
