Shilpa Chaudhary, a third gender, was excited after she came to know that she can now acquire driving licence that recognises her identity.

“Till now, I have been driving a scooter without license,” Shilpa said, adding that the gift of the new constitution is that it has enabled the sexual minorities to get license stating their gender.

Stating that they have hoped to acquire citizenship, licence and other important documents easily, Shilpa said the third gender citizens, like other minority groups, should also get certain quotas for reservation in state opportunities. “We hope that we will not have to struggle again for our rights,” Shilpa said.

Likewise, disabled people have also expressed their satisfaction at the new constitution. “It’s not my constitution, it’s our constitution,” said the Disabled Society Centre Chairman Humakanta Kadel. “Now disabled people will

also get better opportunities,” he said. Meanwhile, Laxmi Acharya, a central member of Human Rights Defendant Network (HRDN), said the new constitution will play a vital role in maintaining gender equality. “We have hoped that this constitution will bring about a change in the overall mechanism of gender-based discriminations,” he said. Likewise, Lalika Pokharel, former president of HRDN Dang, said the new constitution should have the capacity to bear the challenges of the country.

Dailekh residents thank lawmakers

DAILEKH: People in the district have congratulated lawmakers and urged them to take the country towards economic prosperity.

Lawmaker Ammar Bahadur Thapa, who was elected from Dailekh Constituency-1, said he received phone calls and text messages after the constitution was promulgated. “People were worried about the constituent drafting process. They are now happier than leaders to have new constitution,” he said.

Similarly, Laxmi Pokharel, who was elected from Dailekh-2, said they received a large number of phone calls and text messages. Likewise, lawmakers Lalita Regmi and Kunti Sahi also received similar response from people on the day when the constitution was promulgated. Lawmaker Thapa said he received more text messages as he was unable to receive all calls. “Now I am replying those messages,” he said.