Some leaders at the party´s central committee (CC) meeting on Saturday proposed that the party should seek an appropriate alternative to the commission as the Constituent Assembly (CA) faces severe time constraints.[break]
“Some of the party colleagues, including myself, believe that the party should agree to seek an alternative to the commission from within the Constituent Assembly,” NC lawmaker and CC member Narahari Acharya told Republica.
However, party President Sushil Koirala and some other leaders reasoned at the meeting that NC is in favor of forming the commission as the interim constitution envisages such a body for the purpose of recommending a model of federalism.
“Keeping all these aspects in mind, we can seek an appropriate alternative,” a leader quoted the party president as saying while responding the CC members´ queries. The leader explained that the party president indicated that the party may demonstrate flexibility over the issue.
During the meeting, some leaders had argued for an amendment to the provision if forming the commission is not feasible. They had argued that the interim constitution, which has already been amended 10 times, can be amended again to pave the way for the formation of an alternative body.
Earlier at a meeting of the subcommittee formed under the CA´s Constitutional Committee to settle disputes in constitution writing, top leaders from the major political parties discussed seeking an alternative to the commission.
While leaders from the UCPN (Maoist) and Madhes-based parties are in favor of forming an experts´ panel within the CA, other parties including the CPN-UML are also ready for that. Only the NC has been lobbying for formation of the commission so far.
At the dispute resolution subcommittee, which is headed by Maoist Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal, even UML leader and former Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal proposed that a workable panel of experts should be formed so that it could accomplish the task on time.
“We couldn´t take any decision to this effect as NC leader Ram Chandra Paudel was absent at the meeting,” a member of the subcommittee told Republica. NC leaders Bimalendra Nidhi had said at the meeting that the NC´s position so far was to form the commission for the purpose.
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