Nepal

Federal system can resolve crisis, says Speaker

Federal system can resolve crisis, says Speaker

By Himalayan News Service

Kathmandu, February 2:

Speaker of the Legislative Parliament Subas Nembang today said going for federalism was

the only way out of the crisis facing the country.

“As declared by Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala, we are moving towards the federal state,” Nembang said. He was talking to journalists after being honoured by the Supreme Court Bar Association. Two other lawyers-turned-lawmakers, Radheshyam Adhikari and Harihar Dahal, were also honoured.

Nembang, however, said, “We will decide on types of federal state to be adopted only after

discussion.” Asked if only the Terai would be recognised as a federal state, he said the process would be determined only after the discussion.

He said the Interim Constitution of Nepal 2007 should be amended to meet demands

of the Terai people. “The Interim Constitution will be amended after completing certain processes,” he added.

Nembang added that the government should choose the way to amend the Interim Constitution to resolve the crisis. “Prime Minister Koirala has given the word to the parliamentarians accepting the amendment proposals tabled in the dissolved House of Representatives while promulgating the Interim Constitution.”

“Since the Prime Minister accepted the amendments, they can be adopted in the Interim Constitution,” he added.

At least 18 lawmakers of CPN (UML), Nepali Congress (Democratic) and Rastriya Janasakti Party, and Janamorcha Nepal had tabled 53 amendment proposals in several provisions in the Interim Constitution but the dissolved House had rejected some of them. Some provisions were withdrawn by the lawmakers concerned. Nembang said the Legislative Parliament will accept the amendments if the government tables the same after completing “certain procedures”.