KATHMANDU: Lawmakers of eight fringe parties today registered amendment proposals with the parliament secretariat on a number of issues of the government's policies and programmes presented by President Dr Ram Baran Yadav on Thursday.

The main opposition Unified CPN-Maoist, however, did not register any proposal for amendment on the government's document. The party did not register any names of its lawmakers to discuss the government's policies either.

UCPN-Maoist chief whip Posta Bahadur Bogati today informed Speaker Subas Chandra Nembang that they would not take part in the discussion session on the government's policies and programmes.

The party would send only a few lawmakers in the legislature-parliament just to meet the parliamentary formality. According to the parliamentary regulations, opposition party should be present in the House during its regular business.

Commenting on the policies and programmes immediately after its presentation, senior Maoist leader Dr Baburam Bhattarai had said that it was worthless for them to take part in the discussions. UCPN-Maoist Spokesperson Dinanath Sharma said Dr Bhattarai would air the party's views on the government's policies and programmes only during the special hour tomorrow.

Discussions on the policies and programmes will continue for 22 hours from tomorrow morning. Voting on the policy document will take place on Sunday evening.

The leaders of the fringe parties who registered amendment proposal on the policy paper include Chandra Bahadur Gurung of the RPP-Nepal, JP Gupta of the Madhesi Janaadhikar Forum, Sarita Giri of the Nepal Sadbhavana Party (Anandidevi), Tilak Bahadur Thapa of the CPN-ML, Bishwendra Paswan of the Dalit Janajati Party, Rukmini Chaudhary of the United Democratic National Front, Leela Neychein of the Nepal Workers and Peasants' Party and Santa Bahadur Nepali of the Rastriya Janamorcha Nepal.

They have sought a number of amendments to the polices and programmes.

Meanwhile, a parliamentary party meeting of the ruling CPN-UML issued a whip to its lawmakers during voting on Sunday.

Parliamentary party leader and UML president Jhala Nath Khanal urged the party lawmakers to air views in favour of the policy paper.