KATHMANDU, May 27: The discussion on the constitution amendment bill has been removed from the business schedule of today's parliament meeting at the request of the government, officials said.
As per the business schedule released on Tuesday, Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Shivamaya Tumbahangphe was scheduled to table the bill for discussions at the parliament today afternoon in a bid to amend Nepal's constitution to update the country’s map. However, the discussion on the bill has been removed from the business schedule of the parliament at the last minute. With this, the bill will not be tabled for discussion in today's meeting.
Secretary at the House of Representatives Gopal Nath Yogi said that the planned discussion on the constitution amendment bill has been removed from the business schedule of today's parliament meeting at the request of the government.
The discussion on the constitutional amendment bill has been delayed as the main opposition party Nepali Congress has not decided on the matter while Samajbadi Janata Party Nepal and Rastriya Janata Party Nepal have demanded that their long-standing calls for constitution amendment be also incorporated. It requires a two-thirds majority to endorse the constitution amendment bill.
Constitution Amendment Bill (2nd amendment)-2073 being tabled i...
During an all-party meeting on Tuesday evening, Prime Minister K P on Tuesday urged top leaders of all political parties represented in the parliament to unanimously endorse the constitution amendment bill that recognizes the government's decision to include Kalapani, Lipu Lekh and Limpiyadhura as Nepali territory. PM Oli asked all parties to help unanimously endorse the bill in order to give a message of national unity.
Oli stressed the need to endorse the constitution amendment bill with urgency as they require changing the map included in the schedule 3 of the constitution as per the new map endorsed by the cabinet. He also stressed on the fact that talks and diplomacy were the only way to resolve the border issues with India.
During the meeting, the Nepali Congress asked the government to wait until their Central Working Committee (CWC) meeting takes a decision to this effect.
Earlier on Friday, Law Minister Shiva Maya Tumbahamphe had registered a constitution amendment bill after the government introduced a new political map that includes Kalapani, Lipu Lekh and Limpiyadhura.
The amendment bill is set to be presented before the House of Representatives (HoR) meeting on Wednesday for discussion and endorse it through a minimum two-third majority vote in the parliament. The government plans to endorse the amendment bill within a week after it is presented in the House meeting.
The amendment bill seeks to amend a political map of Nepal included in the schedule 3 of the constitution. New map will be used in all official documents including in the coat of arms after the amendment bill is endorsed through the parliament.
Earlier, House Speaker Agni Sapkota had held a meeting on the issue during the parliament's Business Advisory Committee meeting. Speaker Sapkota had urged the government to forge national consensus among all political parties before the amendment bill is introduced in the parliament.
The all-party meeting called by the Prime Minister Oli was an attempt to forge national consensus on the issue. Although Madhes-based political parties have demanded the government to introduce a separate amendment proposal to address their grievances in the constitution along with the amendment proposal to change Nepal's political map, they have not stood against the amendment proposal.
