Kathmandu, November 29

A two-day gathering of Nepali Congress district presidents that concluded today has recommended that the selection of candidates for local, provincial and federal elections be done by the party’s parliamentary boards of local, provincial and federal units.

Putting forth a 24-point recommendation on the draft statute, the gathering suggested having a provision for ‘honourable member’ of the party and simplifying the membership distribution process. Sixty-two district presidents have signed the document.

According to the manifesto adopted by the gathering, conventions in rural municipalities, municipalities and sub-metropolis should be held by regional representatives from ward-levels. They have recommended that provisions be made to allow appointment of office bearers in district and regional working committees from among general convention representatives and Maha Samiti members. Party members elected to local, provincial and funeral assemblies should be made accountable to respective level and district working committees.

The gathering has also recommended raising the number of party office bearers at all levels and giving the authority to nominate office bearers equally to central president and ward presidents.

The hierarchy of party members should be included in the statute’s annexure, spokesperson should be appointed at district, provincial and central levels. Party members should not get more than one chance when it comes to nomination under proportional representation system and levy should be collected from all party members who get salaries from the party.

Other recommendations include ensuring that all party bodies are inclusive and not nominating to the same position a member fighting and losing election for the same position.

NC Nuwakot district president Jagadish Narsingh KC said they would hand over the recommendations to NC President Sher Bahadur Deuba tomorrow. “What message the district presidents want to give is the statute should not be made person-centric but party-centric,” he said. “We want a statute that does not serve interest of any individual.”

Meanwhile, the NC Central Working Committee began today to hold discussions on the draft statute amendment draft. The statute drafting committee under General Secretary Purna Bahadur Khadka had submitted the draft statue in the previous meeting.