KATHMANDU, March 7: Leaders of the ruling CPN-UML and CPN (Maoist Center) parties have drawn the attention of  parliament to the   comments on a constitutional provision of the country made in the European Union's election observation report. However, leaders of the Rastriya Janata Party Nepal (RJPN) and Federal Socialist Forum Nepal (FSFN) spoke in favor of the report, at the House of Representatives on Monday. 

Speaking during special hour at the lower house , UML Vice Chairman and former defense minister Bhim Rawal claimed that the report has infringed with the sovereignty of the country in questioning a constitutional provision . 

 “The report has questioned  a provision of the constitution promulgated through the Constituent Assembly of a sovereign nation. As Nepal's international relations are based on the five UN principles of peaceful co-existence, any form of interference is unacceptable to us,” said Rawal. He also demanded that the government should take the report seriously as it had set a wrong precedent. 

“The EU election observation mission should  abide by the agreement between the countries in the EU and Nepal and violations of the agreement by the EU EOM is a breach of international treaties and laws,” claimed Rawal. He was of the view that the report has also undermined the election process, which was unacceptable to the people of the country. 

Devendra Paudel of the Maoist Center, also taking serious exception to the report, claimed that the report has undermined the sovereignty of the country. “Interference by any outsider in our internal affairs is unacceptable . The EU election observation report is disgraceful and objectionable,” he said. 

Recalling that Nepal's international relations are based on the principle of  non-interference , Paudel said the international community should reciprocate on the same principle. “The internationally recognized institution EU has hurt our sovereignty through the medium of an election observation mission," said Paudel. 

Leaders from Madhes-based political parties, however, backed the EU EOM's report. 
Laxman Lal Karna of Rastriya Janata Party Nepal said that election observers do comment on the election process and the fairness of  polls. “The report has mentioned  positive discrimination issues, which are not objectionable. If reservations are also provisioned for a community that already dominates a majority of  state organs, observers would question it,” he said . 

Rajendra Shrestha of Federal Socialist Forum Nepal also claimed that the EU EOM's report has not breached any international standards. “The international community can comment if democracy is curtailed in any country in the world. Our party believes that the constitution of our country is discriminatory as it has not mentioned proportional inclusive representation of different communities in the state organs,” claimed Shrestha. 

The government expressed serious objection to the  EU EOM report after it suggested  removing the Khas-Arya community from the reservation quota under the proportional representation election category, which is  a constitutionally ensured provision. 

 
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