Kathmandu, May 3

The Parliament is most likely to begin clause-wise discussion on the constitution amendment bill tomorrow.

A tentative business schedule published by the Parliament Secretariat for tomorrow’s House meeting includes clause-wise discussion on the bill and presentation of a proposal by Minister of Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Ajay Shanker Nayak seeking passage of the bill.

“Considering positions of the parties on the bill and huge number of proposals, it is most unlikely that the Parliament will take a final decision on the bill tomorrow,” Parliament Secretary Birendra Karki said. Newly-formed Rastriya Janata Party Nepal has said it would take part in the local polls only after the constitution is amended to address the issues raised by Madhesis and Janajatis.

A total of 50 amendment proposals have been registered in the Parliament on the constitutional amendment bill. Lawmakers from both the ruling and opposition parties have registered amendment proposals on the bill.

As per the tradition, if there are so many amendment proposals on any bill and if the parties fail to forge consensus to withdraw the proposals, the speaker has to send the bill to the relevant committee for clause-wise debate.

According to Karki, if there is no possibility for clause-wise discussion in the House, the speaker can form a special committee to discuss the bill. A meeting of the Business Advisory Committee of the House scheduled for 2:00pm tomorrow will decide on that.

Spokesperson for the Parliament Secretariat Bharat Raj Gautam said Speaker Onsari Gharti Magar would take a call on the business schedule after holding a meeting with the chief whips of political parties tomorrow.

He added that debate on the bill could prolong, as there were many issues to be discussed.

CPN-UML lawmaker Rewati Raman Bhandari said his party would not obstruct the House proceedings tomorrow even if the speaker proceeded with the discussion on the bill in the full House because the bill would not get endorsement of the two-third majority required for its passage.

He said discussion on the bill might not end tomorrow, as all the lawmakers who had registered amendment proposals on the bill would get five to seven minutes to speak in the House. Bhandari said his party would not withdraw its proposal registered against the bill. UML lawmakers who have registered amendment proposals have said that the bill was against the interests of the country.

Once the clause-wise discussion on the bill concludes, the speaker gives a chance to lawmakers who have registered amendment proposals to withdraw their proposals.

If lawmakers refuse to do so, the speaker puts their proposals to vote. An amendment bill can become part of the constitution only when two-third lawmakers endorse it.