Pun hints at state of emergency to save CA

ARJUN BHANDARI & KESHAV P. KOIRALA

KATHMANDU: UCPN-Maoist leader and Minister Barsha Man Pun hinted that the state of emergency will be declared in a bid to save the Constituent Assembly.

According to him, the Maoist Standing Committee is going to discuss the matter and make an appopriate decision.

The SC meeting is being held at the Maoist Parliamentary Party office in Singha Durbar premises. The Council of Minsiters will hold its meeting after the Maoist SC meeting.

"Parties are discussing to save Constituent Assembly," he said, "(Declaration of state of) Emergency is the option for that." He added that discussions are underway but no agreement has been made so far in that regard.

"Going for fresh elections is the other option and all parties by and large have agreed upon that," he said.

"Now we have only two alternatives. We will discuss in the party which one to choose," he said, "Time is running out."

The Cabinet will have to make a decision for the state of emergency. On the recommendation of the Cabinet, the president will declare it. As per the provisions in the Interim Constitution, the CA term can be extended by six months in the state of emergency.

When asked if the CA term will be extended by six months by declaring the state of emergency, Pun said, "It (extension) will be maybe for two months but the decision will be made in agreement with the parties."

Earlier after the meeting of four major political forces, Maoist Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal also talked about two options --extension of CA by declaring the state of emergency or transforming the CA into parliament.

"Time is running out and the discussion so far could not build agreement. Thus, the possibility of promulgating constitution today has ended," Dahal told the media corps, informing that discussions were being made on other alternatives also.

We cannot save the Constituent Assembly now, he said, "We are discussing whether there are possibilities of transforming that into parliament or if anything can be done through emergency."