Leaders involved in the interparty negotiations said they disputed over some provisions on issuance of citizenship and delineation of special zones in the federal setup. The parties differed over whether 33 percent represenation of women should be ensured in the election results or should be limited to filing candidacy.
"Minor differences over some provisions have delayed the meeting but they will be sorted out shortly," said CPN-UML Chief Whip Agni Kharel.
Top leaders were holding talks at the CA building in Baneshwar by the time Republica went to press.
The UCPN (Maoist) strongly objected to the provision that envisaged local elections within six months of the commencement of the new constitution.
"We were for using words 'as soon as possible' but other parties instead wrote 'within six months'. This is against the understanding we reached earlier," UCPN (Maoist) Whip, Rekha Sharma, told Republica.
They also objected to the provision that gives district-level bodies the role of coordinating between provincial and local levels. "The district body has been given extra role, while we are for making municipal and village levels more powerful," said Sharma.
According to her, the Maoists wanted to include leader of the main opposition as a member of the Judicial Council but other parties disagreed. As per the Interim Constitution, opposition leader is not a member of the council.
She also said that the dispute prolonged as other political parties refused to include the word "patriarchal discrimination" in the preamble that commits doing away with various forms of discrimination on grounds of ethnicity, region, language, religious, class, gender etc.
The parties also disputed over what should be included as immutable in the preamble.
Meanwhile, an alliance of four Madhes-based political parties announced to reject the new constitution and launch protest if the major political forces do not address their concerns.Terming the 16-point political deal unconstitutional, chiefs of four political parties at a meeting on Monday took this decision.
Upendra Yadav of Federal Socialist Forum-Nepal (FSF-N), Mahantha Thakur of Tarai Madhes Democratic Party (TMDP), Rajendra Mahato of Sadbhavana Party (SP) and Ram Naresh Ray of Tarai Madhesh Sadbhavana Party signed the statement issued after the meeting.
They have opposed the agreement to produce new constitution through fast-track procedures without first completing the task of delineating and naming the provinces.
In the 16-point deal, four major political forces have decided form a commission to delineate eight provinces and allow two-thirds majority of provincial assemblies to name them.
The dissident parties have said this agreement contravenes with Article 138 (1A) of the Interim Constitution.
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