On Tuesday, the PM held a meeting with Chairman of Nepal Sadbhawana Party (Anandidevi) Shyam Sundar Gupta. He will hold consultations with other political parties in the days to come, said PM´s Press Advisor Bishnu Rijal. [break]
The prime minister also called on President Dr Ram Baran Yadav Tuesday evening and informed him that the government has started consultations with other political parties.
The prime minister informed the president that the government would soon table a proposal in parliament to amend the constitution after holding consultations with other political parties, a statement issued by Rijal said. The Interim Constitution should be amended to extend the term of the CA beyond May 28.
During the meeting, the president told PM Nepal that he wants to see the political parties reach consensus.
The prime minister´s initiative comes at a time when only 17 days remain in the CA´s term. It takes a minimum of 17 days to complete procedural matters to pass an amendment bill relating to extension of the CA term. “This can, however, be done in eight days if the political parties agree to skip some procedures using CA chairman´s prerogatives,” said Tek Prasad Dhungana, legal advisor of the CA Secretariat.
Though the political parties agree in principle to extend the CA term, there are differences on whether it should be extended by six months or a year.
Addressing the House meeting on Tuesday, NC Vice President Ram Chandra Poudel proposed holding discussions in the House as to how long the CA term should be extended. “Let us initiate discussions with due reasoning on how long it would take for the Constituent Assembly to draft the new constitution,” he said. “Let us say to the people what we have done so far and present a roadmap ahead for drafting the new constitution.”
The Maoists, however, said that they would not take any important political decisions, including extension of the CA term, under the Madhav Kumar Nepal-led government.
Co-Chairman of Madhesi People´s Rights Forum (MPRF) Jaya Prakash Gupta said a six-month extension would be enough if the parties reached an agreement on all contentious issues that have surfaced. “The shortest possible extension of the CA´s term is better.”
MPRF-Democratic led by Bijaya Kumar Gachchhadar is in favor of extending the CA term by a maximum of one year. “We should extend the CA term by a minimum of six months and a maximum of one year, assuring the people that we would draft the new constitution,” said the party´s chief whip, Ram Janam Chaudhary. “The new constitution must be promulgated. We cannot just leave the country in a vacuum.”
UML Chief Whip Bhim Acharya said the UML central committee meeting scheduled for May 15-16 will recommend extension of the CA term. “Debate is still going on within the party whether to extend the term for six months or a year,” he said.
Acharya said a majority of UML parliamentarians during the recently held parliamentary party meeting had suggested extension of the CA term by a year. “All major parties are in favor of extending the CA term,” he said.
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