Kathmandu, December 17

Chair of Federal Socialist Forum-Nepal Upendra Yadav said the controversy over National Assembly elections ordinance was a byproduct of faulty provisions that the three major parties had incorporated in the constitution.

He said the people had given a fresh mandate through provincial and parliamentary elections so the new government should be formed immediately. “A new government formed by the House of Representatives should bring a fresh ordinance with the provision of single transferable vote system which will be in the spirit of federalism,” Yadav said.

He said the left alliance which clinched resounding victory should not be arrogant about its strength, but should work to accommodate all stakeholders’ concerns and be ready to amend the constitution. “The people of Madhes have given their mandate for constitution amendment and the big parties must respect that mandate,” he added.

Chief of Rastriya Janata Party-Nepal Presidium Mahantha Thakur said his party would discuss the issue with another partner of the Madhesi alliance —  the Federal Socialist Forum-Nepal — and make its stance clear on the ordinance issue. “I do not know the provisions of the current constitution relating to formation of the National Assembly, but members of the upper house of the Parliament formed after 1991 elections were elected on the basis of single transferable vote system,” Thakur added.

Another member of RJP-N  Presidium Rajendra Mahato said the members of the upper house of the Parliament should be elected on the basis of single transferable vote system and unless the current ordinance sent by the government to the President was issued, the composition of the Parliament could not be completed. “Those parties that have won majority of seats in the lower house of the Parliament should not show their arrogance,” he added.

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