Kathmandu, July 21

Bhimarjun Acharya, a constitutional expert, today claimed that the preliminary draft of the Constitution of Nepal 2015 was more pathetic than the Interim Constitution.

Speaking at a national consultation meeting jointly organised by Association of Youth Organisations Nepal (AYON) and Youth Initiative Nepal to collect suggestions on the first draft of the constitution, Acharya said there was no sense of rule of law in the draft of the constitution.

He alleged that the constitution was prepared by ‘a few people’ who were not really qualified to draft the constitution. He said, “The draft was prepared on a random basis by these less qualified people that is why the draft of the constitution does not advocate the rights of indigenous nationalities, Dalits, women, marginalised and backward people.”

“Nepal is a multi-lingual, multi-religious and multi-cultural country, but the draft will fuel dispute among people,” he added.

Gyan Raj Subedi, Joint Secretary, Constituent Assembly Secretariat, said the issue of youth was not properly addressed in the preliminary draft of the constitution.

He suggested determining the age and qualification to work in constitutional bodies or to be leaders of political parties and members of Parliament.

Tika Dahal, general secretary, National Federation of the Disabled, Nepal advocated citizenship from either of the Nepali parents.

She said, “In place of acquiring citizenship from Nepali father and Nepali mother, there should be provision of acquiring citizenship either from Nepali father or Nepali mother.”

She alleged that CA members had deceived the disabled people of the country by not ensuring their rights in the constitution. Youths from different walks of life demanded a youth-friendly constitution. They said their rights were curtailed in the constitution, therefore, it should be revised.

Youths from 15 districts such as Kathmandu, Lalitpur, Bhaktapur, Morang, Parbat, Banke, Dang, Udayapur and others had participated in the suggestion collection programme.

Separate constituency for the youth to help them contest in the election, uniformity in age of acquiring citizenship and voting rights, special rights to the youth to eliminate corruption from the country, youth employment policy, policy to establish youth self-employment and development bank, technical education as fundamental right, appropriate education policy in the country, certain per cent seat allocation in the Legislature-Parliament for youth representatives from universities are some other suggestions the participants gave to the CA and political parties.