A day after the government formed a three-member taskforce to study the report of the Local Level Restructuring Commission, its Chairman Balananda Poudel said the number and boundaries determined by the commission are unchangeable constitutionally.

The commission was formed as provisioned by Clause (3) of Article 295 of the constitution, which says the government forms a commission to determine the number and boundaries of village councils, municipalities and special, protected or autonomous regions to be formed.

“We believe the number and boundaries should be in line with the report we have submitted,” Poudel said at an interaction in Kathmandu on Friday.

The Cabinet on Thursday formed the taskforce led by Minister for Federal Affairs and Local Development Hitraj Pande to study the complaints against the LLRC’s report and present its suggestions within two weeks.

The move follows pressure from the Samyukta Loktantrik Madhesi Morcha, which has objected to the report saying that it was prepared without consulting with the Madhes-based parties and the people from the eight districts of Province 2 and that it does not mention autonomous, protected and special regions.

Poudel defended that although the commission did not consult with the regional parties formally at the local level, it held discussion with them informally at various forums.

Before forming the taskforce, the government had consulted with legal experts whether the government could make changes to the LLRC report. They had suggested that the changes were possible.

Poudel said the commission followed its constitutional mandate and the terms of reference set by the government.