Kathmandu, August 17

The Special Committee of the Constitutional Political Dialogue and Consensus Committee today agreed to add a provision in the new constitution giving a political party six more months to elect its working committee if it is unable to hold its convention within five years due to extra-ordinary circumstances.

According to the existing constitutional provision, a political party has to elect its working committee every five years. Going by this provision, the Nepali Congress must hold its national general convention before September 22, as the five-year term of the existing working committee of the party will expire on that date.

"We agreed for this provision, as it will give all parties, not only the NC, six more months to hold their convention at a time when we are close to drafting new constitution," said Coordinator of the Special Committee Baburam Bhattara.

NC spokesperson Dilendra Prasad Badu said, "It is unlikely that the party will be able to hold the NGC on its scheduled date, as the constitution drafting process is getting delayed. So, the convention is most likely to be postponed by two-three months. NC CWC will take a formal decision regarding this."

CDC misses deadline for finalising draft

KATHMANDU: Although the political parties on Monday agreed on several issues, they are still divided on boundaries of federal units and provisions related to secularism, citizenship and threshold for representation in the Parliament under proportional representation system. After the parties failed to iron out differences, the Constitution Drafting Committee, which was mandated to prepare "Reviewed Bill" of the new constitution by Monday, failed to meet the deadline. The CDC meeting has been postponed until Wednesday, according to its member Aindra Sundar Nembang.