Agitating Madhes parties suspend protests
KATHMANDU, April 24: In an apparent bid to bring the agitating Madhes-based political parties onboard the election process, the government has formally decided to hold the local level elections in two phases.
A cabinet meeting held on Sunday decided to hold the polls on May 14 and June 14. While the elections in provinces 3, 4 and 6 will be held in the first phase, elections in provinces 1, 2, 5 and 7 will be held in the second phase.
"The decision to hold the local-level elections in two phases has been taken as per the agreement with the agitating Madhes-based parties on Saturday," said Law Minister Ajay Shankar Nayak. "Now the Madhes-based parties also will participate in the election."
EC sets conditions for polls in two phases
During the meeting with the ruling parties at the prime minister's official residence in Baluwatar on Saturday, the Madhes-based parties said they would participate in the polls if the current constitution amendment bill was endorsed with some revisions and the elections are held in two phases.
As per the agreement reached with the agitating parties, the cabinet meeting on Sunday also decided to revise the current constitution amendment bill on three issues. The cabinet meeting has decided to insert an additional clause in Article 7 of the constitution to keep all languages recommended by the Language Commission in the annex of the constitution.
Likewise, the meeting decided to add another provision in the constitution to allow the federal parliament to revise the boundary of a province only in 'consultation' with the provinces concerned as opposed to their 'consensus'. Likewise, the meeting decided to ensure proportional and inclusive representation in the Boundary Commission as per the demands of the agitating parties.
However, the cabinet meeting decided to constitute Federal Commission only after amendment bill currently in the parliament is endorsed with revisions. "We have also decided to increase the number of local units after holding discussions at the local level," said Minister Nayak. The ruling parties had also agreed to increase the number of local units on the basis of the size of population in the tarai districts.
Although the Madhes-based parties agreed to shelve their protest programs after the agreement reached with the government, they have maintained that they won't participate in the polls unless the statute amendment bill is endorsed as per the agreement. This puts the government in pressure as the poll date is fast approaching.
"Since the government has promised to endorse a revised amendment bill by May first week, the Federal Alliance has shelved the protests for now. We will completely withdraw the protests once the government endorses the amendment," said Keshav Jha, a leader of Rastriya Janata Party.
Ruling party leaders said the government is preparing to endorse the amendment bill through a fast-track method after bringing the opposition alliance as well to consensus.
On Saturday, Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal had visited the residence the CPN-UML Chairman KP Sharma Oli to solicit the latter's support in the constitution amendment bill. Oli assured support to the amendment bill only after seeing the content.
