KATHMANDU: Constituent Assembly (CA) Chairman Subas Chandra Nembang said the country is in the final juncture of promulgating the new constitution.

Receiving feedback on the first draft of the new constitution from the Federation of Nepali Journalists (FNJ) on Sunday, the CA Chair said the first draft of the constitution, which is now being taken to the people's domain for discussions and feedback, has aroused the people's hope for getting their constitution soon.

The FNJ has suggested for drafting a media-friendly constitution. It has expressed its concerns over some points regarding press in the constitution. Some provisions of the proposed draft, the umbrella organisation of Nepali journalists claimed, are intended at curtailing the free press and right to expression.

Receiving the feedback, the CA Chair pledged his best to address the voices of FNJ. Appreciating FNJ’s continuous concerns on the constitution drafting process, he said the contribution of FNJ that fought for democracy and against authoritarianism from street to the Supreme Court, is always remembered.

He was also of the view that the new constitution should not go back from the Interim Constitution as far as provisions relating to press freedom are concerned.

FNJ President Mahendra Bista, on the occasion, praised the fast progress in constitution drafting, but demanded that the constitution should avoid any provision or word that restricts press freedom.

FNJ General Secretary Ujir Magar said the Federation is fully sensitive towards the importance and value of the constitution draft and the feedback was collected through discussions with all the bodies concerned.

READ ALSO: 

• Tanahun journos demand ‘full press freedom’ in statute