House finally begins Constitution amendment debate
KATHMANDU: The Parliament on Thursday finally began general discussions on the Constitution amendment bill nearly three months after its registration.
The government on November 29, 2016, had registered the bill in a bid to address concerns of the agitating United Democratic Madhesi Front and the Federal Alliance. The major opposition parties CPN-UML among others, however, had been obstructing the House business since then claiming the amendment proposal was unconstitutional.
However, after the government announced to hold local level elections for upcoming May 14 three days ago, the main oppositions have recently agreed to let the House do the discussions.
Speaking at the Parliament meeting today, UML Parliamentary Party Deputy Leader Subas Chandra Nembang said his party would let the House discuss the proposal, though it would never accept the contents.
Informing that the UML would not take part in the discussion anyway, he also expressed his confidence that the bill would be rejected by majority votes in the House.
Members of the Parliament from other parties took part in the discussion and expressed their views over the bill.
Lawmakers of the ruling parties, the constituents of the United Democratic Madhesi Front and the Federal Alliance, and some fringe parties supported the bill.
Meanwhile, three lawmakers of the Nepal Workers and Peasants Party--Prem Suwal, Anuradha Thapa Magar and Dilli Prasad Kafle--stood up from their seats as soon as the discussion began and chanted slogans claiming the proposal was against national interests.
Speaker Onsari Gharti Magar, however, did not pay any heed to their protests and continued the House business.
Earlier today, the Speaker had facilitated a meeting between Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal and UML Chairman KP Sharma Oli, in which they reportedly agreed to proceed with the discussions.
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