Base local bodies’ on population and geography: NC MPs

Kathmandu, August 23

Nepali Congress lawmakers today suggested that population and geography be made the bases while demarcating the boundaries of local bodies to facilitate people.

At the NC’s parliamentary party meeting held at the parliament building, Congress lawmakers took a brief from the Local Bodies’ Restructuring Commission Chairman Balananda Paudel about the technical issues and the work done so far, according to NC Chief Whip Chin Kaji Shrestha.

“Nepali Congress lawmakers from the Tarai, hills and mountain regions gave mixed opinions on restructuring. Some focused on making population the major basis, while others stressed on geography for determining the boundaries,” said Shrestha.

Almost all of them suggested that the number of local bodies should be increased from 565, which was proposed by the commission, he said.

The views generated at the party’s district presidents’ gathering and at the PP meeting will be further discussed at the party’s Central Working Committee before coming up with a final view, according to him.

Nepali Congress President Sher Bahadur Deuba underscored the need to hold local bodies’ polls by mid-March next year by forging consensus among the parties on the number

and boundaries, according to Nepali Congress lawmaker and Central Working Committee member Dhana Raj Gurung.