Kathmandu, December 29:

Minister for Peace and Reconstruction Ram Chandra Poudel said today the nation had

drifted towards a federal republican order after yesterday’s amendment to the interim constitution.

“The issue of federalism and republic, which used to be confined to the parties’ manifestos, has become an agenda even of the interim constitution. It will be endorsed by the first meeting of the constituent assembly,” Poudel said at Reporters’ Club. He said a provision of endorsing the republic by the first meeting of the constituent assembly respected the people’s right to take a final decision on major issues.

He added that the revised election system was “almost fully proportional” as the parties would have to file their candidates proportionally even for the 240 seats to be contested on the first-past-the-post basis. The 26 seats to be nominated by the council of ministers would also see proportional representation of the marginalised and ethnic groups, who cannot make representation in CA through polls.

Poudel said the only objective of the 23-point agreement reached among the seven parties was to hold the polls by mid-April. “NC has shown flexibility in practice without compromising on its principle and ideology.”

He said the government was implementing agreements reached with the Madhesis and Janajatis and was going to form commissions specified in the comprehensive peace accord.

He said the government had also addressed the Madhesis’ concerns about citizenship certificates, federal system of governance and increment of constituencies in accordance with population growth. He said election would be held in Madhes in a peaceful manner, as voices of the downtrodden would not be addressed without it. Poudel said the government was collecting statistics about the number of people killed during the conflict and it was providing relief to the displaced. “Now, it is the responsibility of the Maoists to return the seized property to the rightful owners and prepare ground for safe return of the displaced families. The Maoists should launch nationwide campaign to return the seized property,” he said.