The National Federation of the Disabled-Nepal has announced a series of protests demanding representation in the newly elected Constituent Assembly (CA).   

The federation said on Tuesday that for the next five days it will stage rallies and demonstrations outside Singha Durbar and the Prime Minister’s official residence in Baluwatar to press its demand.    

The disabled community has been demanding that at least four persons with disabilities should be included as the members of the new CA.

In the previous CA, Indra Maya Gurung of the then CPN-Maoist and Raghav Bir Joshi of Nepal Communist Party (Samyukta) had received parliament memberships from their parties.

Joshi had contested in the November election under the first-past-the-post electoral system but lost.  

Unlike in the previous CA, where three persons with disabilities had represented their community, not a single party has nominated disabled persons under the  proportional representation seats this time.

The federation wants political parties and the government to recommend at least four persons with disabilities to the 26 seats of lawmakers that are to be nominated by the Council of ministers. It has warned to step up the protest if the demand is not fulfilled.