Kathmandu, March 30:

The main opposition Nepali Congress has finalised the party’s concept on new

constitution. Party president Girija Prasad Koirala will present the concept paper at the meeting of constitutional committee tomorrow.

According to the concept paper, the NC has proposed executive prime ministerial

at the centre and president as the constitutional Head of the State.

According to the NC, PM will serve as the chief executive at the centre and the

provinces will have their own elected executives.

The Council of Ministers at the centre and the provinces will be made inclusive. The

NC has proposed three tiers of governance: central, provincial and local.

The NC has rooted for bi-cameral parliament at the centre and one-cameral legislature in the provinces. All provinces will have equal representation in the Upper House at the centre.

“Election to the central and provincial legislatures will be based on a mixed electoral system. An arrangement will be made for inclusive and proportional representation of all groups including indigenous nationalities, Madhesis, Dalits, and women in the legislatures,” the NC draft states.

According to the draft, the prime Minister would be

elected through the parliament and will remain accountable to the parliament.

The Head of the State would enjoy the rights of protecting the constitution and he would be the supreme commander of national army. The NC has proposed that the members of the national and provincial legislatures will elect the Head of the State.

Party spokesperson Arjun Narsingh KC said the parliamentary supremacy was the theme of the NC’s draft.

The NC hasn’t clearly spoken about the much debated and much-talked about issue of federalism.

KC said creation of provinces will be based on the principles of national integrity, geographic viability, population size, natural resources and prospects, interrelation among the provinces, linguistic, ethnic and political and administrative feasibility.

Rule of law, multi-party competition, separation of power, constitutional checks and balances, an independent judiciary, free press are other issues the NC has advocated.

The NC’s concept is totally different from the UCPN- Maoist and Madhesi Janadikar Forum’s concepts, which propose for executive presidential system.

Kamal Dev Bhattarai

KATHMANDU: NC president Girija Prasad Koirala on Monday said the nation was facing a dictatorial regime. Talking to mediapersons at a tea party organised by the Federation of Nepali Journalists to mark its 54th anniversary, Koirala said the present state of affairs suggested that the nation was heading towards a dictatorial regime. “A dictatorial regime first attacks on the press, then on the army and the judiciary,” Koirala said, adding, “That’s what is happening here.”

“The country will turn into a failed state if anarchy is created by attacking important state organs. This will benefit none of us,” he said. Koirala also called on all democratic forces to join hands to fight against what he called the existing anarchy and instability.

Vice-president Paramananda Jha, army chief Rookmangud Katawal and other political leaders were also present at the reception. — HNS