Miscellaneous
Amendment bill by Tuesday, says Pun
Senior leader of the ruling CPN (Maoist Centre) Barshaman Pun has said a constitution amendment proposal would be registered in Parliament within the next four days in consensus among the parties.Senior leader of the ruling CPN (Maoist Centre) Barshaman Pun has said a constitution amendment proposal would be registered in Parliament within the next four days in consensus among the parties.
A close aide to Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal, former finance minister Pun on Friday claimed that the PM has prepared three different proposal drafts for amending the constitution.
Speaking at the Reporters’ Club, Pun claimed that the major parties had agreed to build political consensus for registering the amendments. He said the top leaders were close to an agreement during a meeting at Baluwatar on Thursday on the contents of amendment. The proposal would be registered either on Monday or Tuesday. His earlier claim about an amendment proposal registration did not hold true.
“The PM has been holding discussions continuously on the amendment proposal with three major parties. There is no need to be suspicious [about proposal registration] now,” Pun said.
He claimed that the main opposition CPN-UML had also given a green signal to a second amendment to the constitution adopted last year. Issues including demarcation, language, citizenship and representation in the national assembly were the areas of revision.
As demanded by the UML, constitution implementation and amendment would go side by side, according to Pun. All the demands of the Samyukta Loktantrik Madhesi Morcha would not be addressed this time though.
He also reiterated the option floated by PM Dahal to create an eighth province including five Hill districts of Province 5—Arghakhanchi, Pyuthan, Palpa, Gulmi and Rolpa, and Rukum, Dailekh and Salyan districts of Province 6.
Another alternative was to put together the Hill districts of Provinces 4 and 5. He said the parties were closer to creating a separate province of Tarai districts from Nawalparasi to Bardiya.