Two major parties Nepali Congress (NC) and CPN-UML are 'discouraging their Constituent Assembly (CA) members from registering amendment bill to revised draft of constitution without permission—partly a reason why only three amendments were received by CA Secretariat by the close of business day on day one of the seven day CA timeline. 

According records at the CA Secretariat, more than 100 forms have been issued to CA members to  register amendment bill and most of these forms were requested by members belonging to small parties. 

NC and UML have told their CA members that they need to take consent from chip whip of party if they wish to register amendment. The CA on Sunday gave seven days to CA members to register amendment bill.

The CA rules of procedures 2014 that govern the activities of CA members is silent on whether the parties can impose whip on their members like in the Parliament. Some argue that CA members could are not bound by party policies in the CA. Regrdless, major parties are pressing their members against proposing amendments in order to expedite the Constitution-making process. They fear that  a large number of amendment proposals could delay the constitution promulgation process. 

"We have directed our CA members not to register amendment on individual level because it requires two-third for the endorsement," NC Chip Whip Chin Kaji Shrestha told the Post. 

UML has also issued a strong message to Constituent Assembly (CA) members not to register any amendment proposal going against party policy. UML Chair KP Oli has publicly urged party leaders to abide by the party policy.

Dalit, Tharu and Madhesi CA members from these parties, however, want to register amendment bill on several provisions of draft constitution. In order to address the demands of Dalit, Janajati and other marginalized community, some CA members are preparing to register amendment proposal which will be backed by major parties in the CA.

The main opposition UCPN (Maoist), however, is preparing to register amendment proposal on several issues including forms of government, provisions of citizenship and some fundamental rights. "Our CA members are free to register amendment proposal as there is not a provision of whip in CA," said Chief Whip of UCPN (Maoist) Giriraj Mani Pokhrel.

What do the three amendmends propose?

Deepak Bohara of Rastriya Prajatantra Party Nepal has registered an amendment motion demanding to form a separate province from Nawalparsi to Bardiya.  Bohara has also demanded to remove the secularism from draft constitution. Shiva Lal Thapa and Sima Bk of Janamukti Party have jointly registered amendment proposal demanding to change the current national flag and national animal.