KATHMANDU, Dec 27: While concluding that election is not possible without addressing the genuine demands of the agitating Madhes-based parties, Nepali Congress (NC) has decided to take ahead the local election process and constitution amendment simultaneously.

A meeting of NC office bearers, former office bearers and the party's influential leaders on Monday also decided to suggest to the government to expedite the process of endorsing election-related bills and fill the vacant positions in the Election Commission (EC). Three commissioner positions are vacant at the EC.

Talking to media persons after the meeting, NC senior leader Ram Chandra Paudel said the meeting decided to push forward the amendment bill along with the preparation of election for local bodies. “We are not in favor of shelving the amendment bill. The amendment process will also move forward. The country should now go to elections,” said Paudel.
 
The NC leaders have asked the government to declare election date for local bodies under the existing structures saying that holding election under federal structure may take considerably long time. “NC however is positive about holding the polls under federal setup if there is consensus among other parties,” he further said. “The elections must be held now.”

The NC meeting has decided to ask the government to make necessary preparations to endorse election-related bills currently pending in parliament and announce the date for local election either under existing structure or under new structures. “We will now put pressure on the government to introduce election-related bills,” NC General Secretary Shashank Koirala said. 

Arguing that constitution amendment alone will help create conducive environment for the elections, the NC meeting also asked the UML to withdraw its House obstruction to facilitate the constitution amendment process. “The House meeting must resume now. UML should not continue obstructing the meeting,” Koirala further said.

NC leaders said they have decided to ask Speaker Onsari Gharti not to put off House meeting on a regular basis. During the meeting, NC President Sher Bahadur Deuba had expressed dissatisfaction over the speaker's decision to put off the House meeting for several days. “The UML has been talking about elections but it has been continuously obstructing the House proceedings. UML must stop this now,” NC Chief Whip Chin Kaji Shrestha said.

Arguing that withdrawing or shelving the constitution amendment bill does not help in creating conducive environment for polls, the NC has decided to put pressure on the UML through various ways to agree on endorsing the amendment bill. “The amendment bill will move ahead. Local election is not possible without an amendment to the the constitution,” General Secretary Koirala added.

 
• nepali congress
 
• constitution amendment
 
• local elections