Special committee formed to amend draft constitution

KATHMANDU, July 30: A special committee comprising leaders of four major political parties has been formed to integrate the people's feedback on the preliminary draft of the new constitution in a systematic manner.

Thursday’s meeting of the Constitutional Political Dialogue and Consensus Committee (CPDCC) formed the special committee comprising Prime Minister Sushil Koirala, CPN-UML Chairman KP Sharma Oli, UCPN (Maoist) Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal and Chairman of the Madhesi People’s Rights Forum (Democratic) Bijay Kumar Gachhadar.


The committee would amend the draft constitution on the basis of suggestions given by people during feedback collection task.

On the occasion, CPDCC Chairman Baburam Bhattarai said that the committee was formed to amend and review the draft in order to address the suggestions of all sides and the public aspiration.

While giving feedback on the draft constitution, people demanded provision of directly elected executive head, religious freedom, fixing the educational qualification of election candidates, 50 per cent participation of women in every bodies of the government, keeping less number of federal provinces, among others in the new constitution.

Bhattarai said authority has been given to the committee to make amendment to the draft after taking the dissenting parties, in and out of the Constituent Assembly (CA), into confidence.

Parties like the Federal Socialist Forum-Nepal, Tarai Madhesh Democratic Party, Sadbhavana Party and the Tarai Madhesh Sadbhavana Party representing in the Constituent Assembly have been opposing the preliminary draft of the Constitution of Nepal, 2015.

Special initiatives are required to make the draft a widely-accepted document by holding talks and dialogue with all sides in the context of the 33-party alliance led by the CPN-Maoist which is outside the Constituent Assembly and some fringe parties are also opposing the draft.

Committee Chairman Bhattarai will coordinate the works and functioning of the special committee. The CA has instructed the committee to present its report within four days forging consensus on the submissions made by the people.

Chairman Bhattarai said the committee comprising the top leaders of the major four parties has been formed with the aim of reforming and refining the draft within the deadline given by the CA.

The committee can also take the suggestions and opinions of experts as well for revising the draft. It can also separately hold discussions and interaction with all the parties within and outside the CA. RSS

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