Kathmandu, September 30:

The draft of the Nepali Congress parliamentary party statute is almost ready but the NC is likely to adopt it only after Dashain recess, said party general secretary Bimalendra Nidhi.

Nidhi who headed the parliamentary party statute committee had submitted a draft statute earlier to the CA parliamentary party but the draft could not move further as some 18 NC CA members registered their amendments proposals on the draft. Eight NC CA members have presented oral suggestions on the draft.

“It is more democratic and inclusive,” Nidhi defended the draft saying it intended to change the title of the statute from NC parliamentary party statute to Constituent Assembly parliamentary party statute.

According to Nidhi, the draft has proposed to increase the number of CA parliamentary party working committee from 25 to 31. The draft has also provisioned to increase the representation of party leaders particularly from the marginalised communities, in various committees. The draft statute for the first time has provisioned for the post of deputy parliamentary party leader.

Parliamentary party statute drafting committee member Narahari Acharya said the committee had already finished its work but a meeting of amendment seekers was needed to be called by the committee coordinator before the statute was put to the parliamentary party for the approval.

When asked about the major thrusts of the amendment proposals, Nidhi said they were mainly about the selection of deputy parliamentary party leader, chief whip and whip.

According to Nidhi, some of the amendment proposals sought not to have the post of deputy parliamentary party leader, while, some others sought to elect the deputy parliamentary leader in line with parliamentary party leader.

“Some leaders want the parliamentary party leader to nominate deputy parliamentary party leader,” Nidhi said and added that some women CA members sought to have equal ratio of male and female CA members for the parliamentary posts including parliamentary party leader, deputy parliamentary party leader, Chief whip and whip.

Acharya said some women CA members demanded leading role for women CA members in certain parliamentary committees.

Nidhi said they would finalise the draft after October 19 when the CA resumes its business after Dashain recess. The parliamentary party of the NC adopts the draft before it sends to Central Working Committee of the party for final approval. Six months into the Constituent Assembly elections, Nepali Congress has not been able to elect its parliamentary party leader.