“We have resolved issues other than that relating to eliminating the candidates,” said a member of the drafting committee. However, they are yet to formalize the settled issues in writing.[break]
The parties failed to finalize the draft proposal on Sunday as Nepali Congress (NC) representative in the committee insisted that only two candidates should make it to the second round. UCPN (Maoist) and CPN-UML, however, are for giving all the candidates a second chance.
The five-member committee is headed by Maoist Lawmaker Ek Raj Bhandari. Radheshyam Adhikari of the NC, Agni Kharel of CPN-UML, Anil Jha of Sadbhabana Party and Gayatri Sah of Nepali Janta Dal are its members.
The committee members have reached an understanding that voting for all the candidates should be conducted at the same time, not one at a time as in the existing provision.
With the amendment, lawmakers will not be allowed to abstain or stay neutral during the voting. The major parties have also agreed to incorporate a provision allowing lawmakers to vote only “for” a candidate of their choice but not ´against´.
According to the existing provision, a vote for each candidate is tabled separately for decision as a motion in parliament. Lawmakers can vote for or against each candidate.
The leaders have also decided to incorporate a provision making it mandatory for a candidate to secure majority even if a single candidate files candidacy.
As per the existing provision, if a single candidate files candidacy, he/she would be elected unopposed. Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal was elected unopposed as no one was fielded against him. “A candidate must secure majority in parliament to become a prime minister notwithstanding the number of candidates in the race,” said the member.
They have also agreed to restart the election process afresh if none of the contenders secures majority even after conducting third round of voting.
The parties had agreed to amend the provisions related to the prime ministerial election after 16 rounds of voting failed to elect a new prime minister.
Sources at the parliament secretariat said they expect the drafting committee to finalize the draft and table it at the parliament meeting scheduled for Monday for endorsement.
The extended deadline given by the president to the political parties to form a national consensus government as per the Article 38 (1) is expiring on Wednesday.
After the expiry of the deadline, parliament will resume the election process as per the Article 38(2).
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