Kathmandu, September 4

Four major political parties – Nepali Congress, CPN-UML, Unified CPN-Maoist and Madhesi Janaadhikar Forum -Democratic today discussed disputed constitutional issues but failed to reach a conclusion on some of the key issues, including provincial boundaries, secularism and citizenship.

One of the negotiators told THT on condition of anonymity that there was no consensus except on minor issues of the draft constitution. The source said the UML was not showing any flexibility on the key constitutional issues.

UML Vice Chair Bhim Rawal said the leaders would discuss the issues, particularly how they should register a joint amendment proposal on the draft constitution tomorrow.

“We discussed some of the issues that are in debate these days but we did not discuss secularism and boundaries of the provinces—the issues that are of interest to you all,” Rawal added. UCPN-M negotiator Narayan Kaji Shrestha, however, said that the four parties agreed today to amend the draft allowing the president to mobilize Nepali Army as per the decision of the Cabinet and the recommendation of the National Security Council.

NC negotiator Narahari Acharya said today leaders discussed what issues had come up within their respective parties particularly the voices of their CA members for amendment on the provisions of the draft constitution.

Acharya said the four parties agreed that they would register their joint amendment proposal seeking to amend the provisions of the draft constitution. “We agreed to register only the joint proposal. We will not register any amendment proposal on the issues we all (four parties) fail to agree,” Acharya said.

He said the four-party task force was working to amend the minor issues of the constitution. Top leaders of the four parties are scheduled to discuss constitutional issues, particularly the two key issues of the constitution –boundaries of the federal units and secularism tomorrow, the last day of the deadline for registering amendment proposal on the draft constitution.

Acharya said the ruling parties had not held any formal dialogue with the protesting parties but they were holding informal talks with them.

UCPN-M leader Krishna Bahadur Mahara said the four-task force today submitted their report on how they should amend some of the draft constitution’s provisions, particularly those relating to citizenship, army mobilization and special protected areas.

UCPN-M negotiator Naryan Kaji Shrestha said the parties were yet to reach an agreement on the threshold for proportional representation seats in Parliament, secularism, federal structure and boundaries of federal units, citizenship, proportional inclusion, demands raised by women and various indigenous nationalities