KATHMANDU: The Constituent Assembly on Wednesday evening endorsed the Revised Bill on Nepal's Constitution with an overwhelming two-thirds majority. Now, the Bill will become Nepal's new charter once the lawmakers sign and the CA Chairperson authenticates it. In the CA meeting, scheduled for 5 pm on Sunday, September 20, President Dr Ram Baran Yadav will announce the promulgation of new constitution through the sovereign body elected by the people. When put to split voting after the endorsement of individual articles and schedules, the entire Revised Bill garnered support from 507, out of 598 lawmakers. As many as 25 CA members, however, cast their vote against the Bill. Altogether 532 members cast their votes ,while 65 others did not take part in the voting process.

Since he would vote only in decisive cases, CA Chairman Subas Chandra Nembang did not have to take part in the voting. The lawmakers from Nepali Congress, CPN-UML, UCPN-Maoist and some fringe parties supported the draft constitution, while those from the Rastriya Prajatantra Party-Nepal voted against it. Most of the Madhes-based parties boycotted the voting process. After announcing that the CA endorsed the draft constitution, CA Chairman Subas Chandra Nembang has asked the lawmakers to sign on the dossier at the CA building from 9 am 3 pm on Friday. Meanwhile, the CA formed a five-member panel to recommend consequential improvements, if any, on the new constitution as per the Rule 109 of the Constituent Assembly Rules. The panel includes Baburam Bhattarai in the capacity of Constitutional Political Dialogue and Consensus Committee Chairman, Constitution Drafting Committee Chairman Krishna Prasad Sitaula, the chief whips of CPN-UML and UCPN-Maoist, Agni Prasad Kharel and Giriraj Mani Pokharel respectively, and Kunti Kumari Shahi of Rastriya Pratantra Party-Nepal. READ ALSO:

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