Taskforce prepares first draft of new constitution

Full CA to get it on Monday

KATHMANDU, June 27: The taskforce formed under the Constitution Drafting Committee of the Constituent Assembly (CA) has prepared the first integrated draft of the new constitution, leaving some of the unresolved issues pending for now.

The six-member taskforce has tabled the preliminary draft of the new constitution at a meeting of the full drafting committee on Friday night. The 73-member drafting committee, which is represented by all the 30 political parties of the CA, will discuss and finalize it and forward it to the CA full House.

The drafting committee has finalized most of provisions of the new constitution because major features of new constitution were finalized earlier this month when major political forces settled key contentious issues related to federalism, system of governance, judiciary and electoral model through the 16-point political deal. The CA full House had then asked the drafting committee to settle some of the unresolved issues and prepare the first draft of the new constitution by June 28.

The committee was asked to settle interparty disputes on whether or not to mention the word 'pluralism' in the preamble of new constitution and whether or not to reappoint Supreme Court justices and heads and members of constitutional bodies after commencement of the new constitution.

The committee was also asked to settle some of the disputed provisions regarding citizenship for Nepali citizens marrying foreign nationals. Along with that the committee has agreed to hold local polls within six months of the commencement of the new constitution.

"There are some issues yet to be settled by this committee," committee chair Krishna Prasad Sitaula said while tabling the report. "This is a normal procedure because we have adopted a system in which political parties and members can register amendments to any provision until the final draft of the new constitution is endorsed by the CA full House."

All political parties have stood for reappointment of the judges and other office bearers but the largest political party, NC, has opposed the proposal. Similarly, the NC has been insisting on mentioning the word 'pluralism' in the preamble while UCPN (Maoist) is against it. Members from other political parties have been trying to find a middle-way solution by including the word somewhere else in the constitution.

The preliminary draft, which was prepared by the taskforce, was distributed to the committee members for study. Deliberations on it will resume Sunday.

The deadline given to the committee will expire on Sunday and Sitaula is likely to table the first draft at the CA meeting scheduled for Monday.