Home International Nepali CA meeting postponed

Nepali CA meeting postponed

By Xinhua,

Kathmandu : The Constituent Assembly (CA) meeting scheduled to take place on Saturday afternoon has been postponed till Monday.

Most of the CA members received the notice from parliamentary secretariat when they arrived at the CA venue, International Conference Center in Nepali capital Kathmandu.

It is made after the Madhesh-based parties announced to continue to disrupt the session, opposing the supplementary constitution amendment bill prepared by the government.

Nepali cabinet meeting on Friday decided to table a supplementary bill to the Fifth Amendment bill of the Interim Constitution on Saturday afternoon’s CA meeting.

However, the Madhesh-based parties including the Madhesi People’s Rights Forum (MPRF), Terai Madhesh Democratic Party and Sadbhawana Party, which with more than 80 legislators in the CA are relatively active in south Nepal’s Terai plains area, were not satisfied with the bill. They have been obstructing the house proceedings since June 26, requiring the fifth amendment to address their demand.

The government had registered the Fifth Amendment bill to the interim constitution, which specifies the provision of appointing President, vice President, Prime Minister and Chairman of the CA by simple majority instead of two thirds majority, on June 25 at the secretariat of the legislature parliament.

Leaders of the afore-mentioned three Madhesh-based parties have met earlier on Saturday, deciding to continue their protest. They said the supplementary bill failed to address their demands.

The draft bill states that delineation of federal units will bed one by the proposed State Restructuring Commission according to the agreements reached with various groups including Madhesi parties.

Some Madhesh-based parties leader once required for “One Madhesh, One Province” in the newly-born republic. The CA first meeting on May 28 declared Nepal a federal democratic republic.

However, 22 indigenous groups residing in Terai expressed strong objections to the “One Madhesh, One Province” demand, staging demonstrations outside the CA venue on Saturday.

Earlier on Saturday also, representatives of about 15 organizations concerning the Tharu community who mainly resides inTerai plains, took out a protest rally against the “One Madhesh, One Province” in Kathmandu.