'Date for local polls will be announced within a week'

Published On: December 28, 2016 03:04 PM NPT

Leaders of the three major parties taking part in a meeting held at the Prime Minister’s Office in Singha Durbar on Wednesday. (Dipesh Shrestha/Republica)

KATHMANDU, Dec 28: The major three parties have come close to consensus on holding local bodies’ elections.

At a meeting held at the Prime Minister’s Office in Singha Durbar on Wednesday, the main opposition party CPN-UML floated a proposal to hold local elections arguing that Local Bodies Restructuring Commission ( LBRC) has already prepared a report.

“CPN-UML has been reiterating for holding local elections since long. At the meeting, we put forth our party’s views to go for local elections since the LBRC has already prepared its report,” UML Vice Chairman Bhim Rawal told Republica Onlline.

Speaking at the meeting NC President Sher Bahadur Deuba urged the government to announce the date for the local elections at the earliest.

Responding to the request of both the parties, CPN (Maoist Center) leader Narayan Kaji Shrestha said that the government would announce the date for holding elections of the local bodies within a week.

Even though the parties are near consensus to holding the elections of local bodies, they are still at odds over the endorsement of the constitution amendment bill registered in Parliament.

Leader Bhim Rawal vehemently stated that CPN-UML will not support the bill saying that it has been brought without consulting his party.

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Home Affairs Bimalendra Nidhi blamed UML for not agreeing to bring the bills related to elections and constitution amendment simultaneously.