Kathmandu, May 13:

Former justice of the Supreme Court Laxman Prasad Aryal today said the election to a Constituent Assembly (CA) would empower the people and prove that people are the real source of state power and authority.

Stating that the CA is the best way to draft a constitution, he said the same did not materialise even though late King Tribhuvan had publicly promised to go for the CA in 1952.

“People of Nepal were never empowered as they were not allowed to draft their own constitution,” said Aryal, one of the makers of the 1990 Constitution, at a programme organised here by a group of engineers.

He said that the King was forced to announce the revival of the dissolved House of Representatives and accept the roadmap of the seven-party alliance due to mounting pressure of millions of people across the country.

“The way the King announced the proclamation on April 24 shows he has also agreed on the election to the CA, which has been mentioned in the alliance’s roadmap and 12-point understanding reached with the Maoists.”

He also appealed to the people to participate in the constituent assembly election campaign.