The Madhes-based parties have asked the government to put off the task of local body restructuring until a revision to the provincial boundaries.

The regional parties’ view comes at a time when the Local Level Restructuring Commission (LLRC) is making final preparations to demarcate the boundaries of local bodies.

The commission is planning to set up 742 village

and municipal councils as

per an understanding reached with the ruling Nepali Congress and CPN (Maoist Centre) and the main opposition CPN-UML.

Leaders affiliated to the Samyukta Loktantrik Madhesi Morcha, an alliance of seven Madhes-based parties, said the three-party agreement cannot be accepted as it seeks to “disenfranchise the Madhes”.

According to a new understanding reached between the three major parties and the commission, there will be 219 municipal councils in 20 districts of the Tarai.

Morcha leaders insist that the population should be the sole basis for carving out village councils in the plains. If that happens, there will be more than 300 village councils in the Tarai, according to Morcha leaders.

“We are not obliged to accept something endorsed by three major parties. There should be a package deal on all issues pertaining to state restructuring. The nitty-gritty of the local bodies can be discussed after revising the federal boundaries,” said Sadbhawana Party Chairman Rajendra Mahato. He added that the agitating parties would strongly resist the works of the LLRC if their concerns are ignored.

Madhesi leaders said the issues related to local level restructuring should be resolved together with other contentious issues. Morcha expects a major revision to the federal boundaries as part of an agreement reached with the ruling coalition.

Morcha cadres on the ground have been obstructing the works of the LLRC ever since it got down to business earlier this year.