Deliberations on bill put off till December 23

Kathmandu, December 18

Major political parties today agreed to hold serious discussions with the agitating United Democratic Madhesi Front by postponing the ongoing meeting of the Parliament for five days.

As per the decision of the major parties, the House meeting was postponed till 11:00am on December 23 after holding a brief session.

A meeting of the top leaders of major parties called by Speaker Onsari Gharti Magar at her Singha Durbar office decided to postpone deliberations on the constitution amendment bill which were scheduled to begin today.

Top leaders of the Nepali Congress, the CPN-UML, the Unified CPN-Maoist, the Rastriya Prajatantra Party-Nepal and the Madhesi Janaadhikar Forum-Democratic and chief whips of the respective parties held a meeting to find ways to address issues of the agitating parties.

UCPN-M Chief Whip Hitraj Pande said it was decided to postpone the meeting till December 23 so as to hold serious discussions with the agitating UDMF and resolve the ongoing Tarai-Madhes crisis.

He further said the meeting also decided to move the constitution amendment bill without any haste, as this would be the first amendment to the Nepal’s constitution and the procedures adopted to effect it would serve as a guideline for the next amendments.

Pande said the meeting also decided to inform the people about the amendment as per the constitutional provision and hold formal and informal meetings and discussions with agitating parties to rope them in the amendment process.

NC President Sushil Koirala, UML senior leader Jhalanath Khanal, UCPN-M Chairperson Pushpa Kamal Dahal and MJF-D Chairman Bijaya Kumar Gachhadar were present in the meeting.