Process to draft statute enters last lap tomorrow

Kathmandu, September 6

Constituent Assembly is all set to embark on the last leg of its long journey on Tuesday and deliver the new constitution after settling the amendment proposals and endorsing the bill of new constitution through voting.

CA Chairman Subas Chandra Nembang today scheduled the CA meeting for 11:00am on Tuesday to begin the CA’s last business -- endorsing the new constitution through the 601-member CA.

“With the closure of registering amendment proposals yesterday, the CA has entered a narrow tunnel. It can’t move back or sideways. It can only move ahead and emerge with the new constitution,” Nembang told reporters at his office in Singha Durbar. The CA will be able to deliver the new constitution by September 17, he said.

Can the parties introduce any new agreement in the CA to make it the part of new constitution? “No, because the CA Rules do not allow anyone to introduce new things after closing the phase of registering amendment proposals,” Nembang said.

If the parties forge consensus on contentious issues, they can introduce agreements in the new constitution by making amendments to the constitution through the transformed Legislature Parliament immediately after the new constitution is delivered, Nembang said.

But first the 56 amendment proposals will be tabled and their proposers will get seven minutes each to put forth views on their proposals and the constitution bill, said Nembang. After that top leaders of all parties can address the CA to put forth their reservations and justify their latest moves, he said. All interested CA members will then be given five minutes each to put forth their views on the constitution bill, he said.

After four-five days of discussion, the CA will first vote on all amendment proposals, after which every individual article and preamble of the new constitution will be endorsed by voice vote. CA will have to follow split vote process if 10 per cent members of the CA demand the same. In the end, the constitution bill will be endorsed by voice vote.