The CA directed the drafting committee to revise the draft based on decisions taken at the CA's Constitutional Political Dialogue and Consensus Committee (CPDCC) that made suggestions based on public feedback collected last month.The CA forwarded the report after deliberations on the CPDCC report in the full House of CA for two days since Tuesday.
Based on public feedback, the CPDCC made some significant changes to the draft.
For instance, the parties had earlier decided to federate the country into eight provinces and to draw their boundaries only after promulgation of the new constitution.
But following feedback collection, the top leaders' committee under the CPDCC not only decided to reduce the number of provinces to six but also drew their boundaries.
In the changed context, the CPDCC also made changes to provisions relating to citizenship and local election.
"This meeting hereby directs the CDC to make changes to the draft based on the CPDCC's decisions and finalize the draft in the next five days," CA Chairman Subas Nembang said the CA full House meeting on Wednesday. "The CDC can also include essential points missing in the draft."
The decision to forward the report to the drafting committee was passed by majority. All lawmakers -- except for four members from the Nepal Workers and Peasants Party -- approved the proposal.
Lawmakers from some dissident political parties had earlier walked out of the meeting.
Responding to lawmakers' concerns over demarcation of provinces and other changes, CPDCC Chairman Baburam Bhattarai assured them of accommodating their views as far as possible. He claimed that the provincial boundaries were drawn based on the broader bases of identity and economic viability set by the first CA's committee on state restructuring.
Bhattarai said the proposed Federal Commission shall look into technical complications with regard to functioning of the federal system and suggest ways to address them. He also claimed that the provision of special autonomous zones and protected zones will expedite development of certain areas.
As protests against division of certain zones and districts have spread in various parts of the country, Bhattarai urged top leaders not to support local campaigns.
This time around, the drafting committee will not only make changes to the draft constitution but will also convert it into a constitution bill. Once the bill is tabled in the CA full House, lawmakers shall register their amendment proposals. The constitution would be promulgated once the constitution bill is approved by two-thirds majority of the CA.
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