The Local Level Restructuring Commission (LLRC) has decided to seek “further clarity” from the government in regard to a Cabinet decision to revise the constitutional body’s terms of reference (ToR).

The government on Tuesday decided to revise LLRC’s ToR in line with an agreement reached among three major parties to make area clusters (Ilakas) the basis for fixing the number of local bodies.

A meeting of the LLRC on Thursday decided to write to the Ministry of Local Development, asking whether the “government can dictate a constitutional body and ask it to fix the number of local bodies by changing its ToR”.

The LLRC, formed in March last year to determine the number and boundaries of local bodies in line with a constitutional provision, had in July proposed 565 local units (village and municipal councils) by rearranging 217 municipalities and 3,117 village development committees (VDCs) across the country.

There has not been unanimity among the parties regarding the number of local units. And amid dispute over the number of local units, three major parties’ agreement to make Ilakas, whose number stands at 927 with each comprising four to six VDCs, the basis for fixing the number of local bodies and the subsequent government decision in the same vein has but riled the LLRC members.

The fresh development has stoked fears whether the LLRC will be able to complete its task by mid-October, the deadline set by the government for the commission to submit its final report to allow the Election Commission ample time to prepare for the local level elections which have been planned for March.

“The commission, which has completed around 60 percent of its work, will have to work from scratch if it has to work according to the new ToR. Out of 75, only 52 districts have submitted their reports due to the dispute among the parties regarding the number of local units,” LLRC Chairman Balananda Poudel told the Post. “We have decided to ask the government to clarify further about its decision. Further step will be taken based on government response.”

Commission member moves SC

Of the nine members of Local Level Restructuring Commission (LLRC), eight have agreed to consult the government before taking any further decision regarding the government move of changing is terms of reference (ToR) . However, Sunil Ranjan Singh has demanded that the commission outright reject the government’s move of dictating the constitutional body. He has also moved the Supreme Court demanding that the apex court nullify the government decision of revising LLRC’s ToR. In his petition, the LLRC member has claimed that the constitutional body can be provided with suggestions but cannot be dictated. “The LLRC is a constitutional body and enjoys full autonomy. The recent government decision is against the constitution,” Singh said. “I have sought judicial remedy to maintain autonomy and the constitutional status of the commission. The government had formed the commission on March 14, 2016 in accordance with Article 295 (3) of the constitution.”