Ruling coalition, Madhes parties agree on revising amendment bill

Published On: January 14, 2017 12:25 AM NPT By: Republica | @RepublicaNepal

Leaders of the major ruling parties and the Madhesi Front holding a meeting called by Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal on Friday morning. (Dipesh Shrestha/Republica)

KATHMANDU, Jan 14: The ruling coalition and the Madhes-based parties have agreed to work together on further amendment on constitution amendment bill tabled in Parliament.

According to Sadbhavana Party Chairman Rajendra Mahato, the Madhes-based parties asked the government for further amendment to the bill in parliament during their meeting with Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal and other leaders of the ruling coalition.

"Responding to our demand for further amendment to the bill, the leaders of the ruling coalition, including the prime minister, have agreed to form a taskforce to work on it. The taskforce could be formed after prime minister's visit to the UAE," said Mahato.

"The taskforce would finalize what issues should be addressed through further amendment by registering amendment proposals on the bill during the parliamentary process," he added.

Likewise, the Madhes-based parties urged the government to move election related bills and election process forward only after completing the process of endorsing the statute amendment bill by two-thirds majority.

"We have said none of the elections could be held without amending the constitution.

Likewise, we also expressed dissatisfaction over the report of the commission on local-level restructuring. We have asked the government to ask the commission to review the report and take population as a major criterion while fixing the numbers of local units," said Mahato.

He further said that the ruling coalition replied to discuss all the issues raised by the Madhes-based parties within their parties and reach to a conclusion.

"Nepali Congress has sought some time to discuss all our demands within the party. However, the ruling coalition is positive about removing village council chairmen, vice-chairman and municipality mayors and deputy-mayors from the electoral college for electing members of the national assembly," said Mahato.

The Madhes-based parties, which are demanding statute amendment, are demanding revision of the bill tabled in parliament, which has proposed separating hill districts from Province 5.