With the endorsement of the proposal, the lawmakers can now register amendment, if any, to the bill within a 72-hour timeframe.[break]
The next House meeting scheduled for Wednesday is expected to endorse the constitution amendment bill by a two-thirds majority in the 601-seat parliament.
Though Friday´s House meeting was expected to meet the deadline, it could not do so owing to the lack of a quorum at the meeting.
On November 4, the government had registered the constitution amendment bill with a view to making way for the formation of a panel of experts to be tasked with making recommendations on state restructuring.
Leaders from the major political parties and officials at the parliament secretariat had completed all the preparatory work for passage of the bill on Friday to amend the interim constitution through shortcut parliamentary procedures. Following the understanding among top political leaders reached in this regard, the government had registered the bill at the parliament secretariat earlier this week.
Parliament´s scheduled plan to amend the interim constitution on Friday and pave the way for formation of an expert committee was foiled due to objection by Maoist lawmakers, mainly from the Baidya faction.
NC, UML lawmakers continue protests over amnesty row
Giving continuity to their protests against the government decision to recommend President Dr Ram Baran Yadav to pardon lawmaker Balkrishna Dhungel, whom the Supreme Court has slapped life term with property attachment, NC and UML lawmakers have reiterated their demand that the government revoke the decision and let the law take its course.
Accusing the government of making a mockery of the rule of law, Agni Kharel of CPN-UML said the government and Dhungel must abide by the court verdict.
“If the government and the lawmaker do not respect the court of verdict and abide by the laws of the land, it wouldn´t be fair on thousands of other prisoners serving jail terms,” Kharel said at a parliament meeting on Saturday.
The district court in Okhaldhunga had slapped on Dhungel life term with property attachment. He served jail term but was released after he won the case in appellate court.
"Later, he was elected lawmaker in the CA polls from the same district. He respected the appellate court verdict. Why is he not abiding by the apex court´s verdict?” questioned Kharel.
Kamala Thapa of Nepali Congress (NC) said the prime minister has now only two options left. “The prime minister has to either revoke the cabinet decision on Dhungel or resign from the post,” she said at the parliament meeting.
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