Rupandehi, January 18:

The first meeting of the Constituent Assembly cannot announce a republican state order, CPN-UML senior leader and former foreign minister KP Sharma Oli said today at a press meet organised by the Press Chautari Nepal.

“It would be an immature or unconstitutional action on part of the first meeting of the Constituent Assembly to take decision on whether to continue monarchy or abolish it,”

he said while commenting on the recent amendment in the Interim Constitution which has declared the country a republic subjected to endorsement by the first Constituent Assembly meeting.

Any decision on monarchy should be done in a constitutional manner, he said and objected the declaration of republic order through the interim statute. “A proposal regarding abolishing the monarchy should be registered in the Constituent Assembly and the 601 CA members will express their views on the issue. I don’t want to speak more than this on the issue,” he said.

“According to the parliamentary practice, the oldest member will chair the first CA meeting, administer oath of office to other members and there will be election to pick the Speaker, concluding the first CA meeting,” he said.

Failure to hold elections on time will lead the nation to hardship, he said.