Miscellaneous
Panel formed amid oppn noise
Amid protest from the UCPN (Maoist) and Madhes-based parties, Constituent Assembly Chairman Subas Nembang on Sunday announced the formation of a 73-member Questionnaire CommitteeKamal Dev Bhattarai
With this “unilateral” decision, the constitution drafting process has moved to a majority process as demanded by the Nepali Congress and the CPN-UML. The committee is mandated to prepare a list of questions on the disputes, and present them to the Assembly for conducting a vote.
After the opposition barred ruling party members from tabling the proposal for committee formation, Nembang presented it to the Assembly on Sunday. Maoist and Madhesi members, among others, chanted slogans in the CA while the chairman read out the proposal.
Despite the opposition party’s request to remain politically neutral, Nembang went ahead with tabling the proposal. The chairman, who could have used his office for forging consensus by putting of the CA meeting for a few days as demanded by the 19-party alliance, opted for starting the process in a way that could further polarise the parties who are firm on their respective stances.
The opposition alliance on Saturday had requested CA chairman for a postponement of the CA meeting to resume cross-party talks and not to take any decision unilaterally.
Nembang told the meeting that the beginning of the process would not hinder efforts at consensus among the parties on the contentious issues. He asked leaders of the parties to engage in talks to seek common ground on the differences. The opposition parties had been protesting against the setting up of the committee since Tuesday.
“This is a proposal of all the parties in the CA. It does not create any obstacle in finding consensus on the contents of the new constitution. Now the process and consensus efforts could go hand in hand,” said Nembang.
He called his move a “middle path” which would kick-start the process and at the same time provide time to the parties to find consensus.
The CA endorsed the proposal with the backing of two-third members. With an aim to provide time for the parties to engage in talks, Nembang announced that the committee would begin its work in five days.
The committee will have to complete its task within five days of getting down to work. This means the parties have 10 days to seek consensus.
Opposition parties have said they will not join the committee until there is a new understanding among the parties. According to the CA rules, the committee can move ahead without the representation of other parties if the ruling parties so intend. As the Maoist and Madhes-based parties have not provided the names of their representatives in the committee, it now has only 49 members. The first meeting of the committee will select its chairperson and decide the working procedure. The date for another CA meeting has not been set.