National
15 amendment papers filed on charter revision
The agitating Sanghiya Gathabandhan has registered an amendment proposal to the charter revision bill tabled by the government in Parliament demanding two provinces in the plains.Tika R Pradhan
The agitating Sanghiya Gathabandhan has registered an amendment proposal to the charter revision bill tabled by the government in Parliament demanding two provinces in the plains.
As the 72-hour deadline to register amendments ended at 5:45pm on Sunday, as many as 15 proposals were registered.
With the opposition front led by CPN-UML remaining silent on the ongoing constitution amendment process, Parliament endorsed the proposal to consider deliberations on the bill with majority votes on Thursday.
Lawmakers affiliated with the alliance of Madhesi and Janajati parties have proposed realignment of the Tarai VDCs of Jhapa, Morang, Sunsari and Chitwan districts with Province 2 and those of Kailali and Kanchanpur districts with Province 5.
After registering the amendment proposal, Sadbhawana Party leader Laxman Lal Karna said they were for stripping the chairpersons and vice-chairpersons of Village Councils and mayors and deputy mayors of municipalities of their Electoral College voting rights.
Karna said the Gathabandhan was hopeful that the government would garner a two-thirds majority on the amendment proposal if not on the registered revisions.
“The government will be responsible if it fails to garner the two-thirds majority required to endorse the amendment proposal,” Karna said.
On behalf of the Gathabandhan, eight lawmakers registered reviews to the amendment bill. The paper was signed by Sarbendra Nath Sukla and Mina Chaudhary of the Tarai Madhes Loktantrik Party, Laxman Lal Karna and Narsingh Chaudhary of the Sadbhawana Party, Dimple Kumari Jha of Nepal Sadbhawana Party, Dharmendra Kumar Sah Teli of Rastriya Madhes Samajbadi Party, Rukmini Chaudhary of Samyukta Loktantrik Rastriya Manch (Tharuhat) and Hari Charan Sah of Nepali Janata Dal.
Meanwhile, four disgruntled leaders of the ruling Nepali Congress and CPN (Maoist Centre) registered amendments on the government’s proposal demanding that Province 5 should not be split. Deputy leader of the Maoist Centre Parliamentary Party Top Bahadur Rayamajhi, and Chandra Kanta Bhandari, Amar Singh Pun and Dhanaraj Gurung of the Nepali Congress jointly registered amendments to the bill. The four leaders have been speaking publicly against the government’s proposal to split Province 5.
Five fringe parties including the Bijaya Kumar Gachhadhar-led Madhesi Janadhikar Forum Loktantrik have also registered a revision to the bill. The proposal seeks to carve out eight provinces in total. A proposed province in the East includes Jhapa, Morang, Sunsari, Udayapur, Saptari and Siraha. Jhapa, Morang, Sunsari and Udayapur districts are currently in Province 1, and Saptari and Siraha in Province 2.
Lawmakers including Hari Charan Sah, Kamala Dong, Janaki Kumari Saud (Rawal), Rupa Maharjan (Shrestha), Goma Kunwar and Ram Narayan Bidari have also registered separate reviews.
Morcha gives govt more time
KATHMANDU: The Samyukta Loktantrik Madhesi Morcha deferred its plan to withdraw support to the government on Sunday after getting fresh assurances from the ruling parties of passing the constitution amendment bill before the scheduled local polls.
The Morcha had warned of severing ties with the government after the Maoist-Congress coalition announced the date of local level elections. Following Morcha’s warning, the two parties had sought more time for finding consensus for passing the amendments. “The government still says the amendments will be endorsed before
the elections. So we decided to wait for some time,” said Anil Kumar Jha, chairman of the Sanghiya Sadbhawana Party. Sunday’s meeting of the agitating parties also reiterated not to take part in the May 14 polls unless the federal and local boundaries are redrawn in line with the agreements reached with the government. (PR)