KATHMANDU, April 30: The meeting of the Parliament scheduled for 11AM today is adjourned endorsing a condolence message over the demise of former lawmaker and Nepali Congress leader Nathuni Singh Danuwar, who was elected Member of Parliament from Siraha in 1991.

In a dramatic turn of events, the next meeting of the Parliament is scheduled for 3PM on Thursday.

Earlier, the government had planned to endorse the constitution amendment bill today and end the marathon House Session right after endorsing it.

However, the House meeting is deferred until Thursday.

According to a source within the ruling coalition, the House meeting is deferred since it seemed that the bill could not be endorsed from the Parliament right now. The coalition agreed to defer the meeting so the government could look for broader consensus to endorse the bill.

Meanwhile, Speaker Onsari Gharti's Press Advisor Basudev Sharma (Babin) said that Speaker adjourned the meeting after endorsing the condolence message and scheduled next meeting for Thursday giving time to political parties for developing consensus over the constitution amendment bill and parliamentary procedures.

He also said that the meeting is only scheduled for Thursday since the lawmakers are going to their districts targeting the nomination of candidates for local elections scheduled for May 14.

Madhes-based parties, which have been demanding for constitution amendment prior to the candidates' nomination, however, said that the deferral would not end the possibilities of their participation in the local polls. "We have not prepared for the elections on May 14 and we are ready for the next phase of the election if the amendment bill is endorsed," said Laxman Lal Karna, lawmaker of newly united Rastriya Janata Party Nepal.

 
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