KATHMANDU: A sub-committee of the Constitutional Committee (CC) formed to prepare a framework of the new constitution has proposed 27 parts in the statute to be drafted.

The CC today extended the tenure of the 10-member committee led by Maoist CA member Barshaman Pun till February 14.

Sapana Pradhan Malla, one of the members of the sub-committee, said the CC also discussed the suitability of the new constitution in a federal structure. The sub-panel had studied all thematic committees’ concept papers yesterday and concluded that the constitution should have 27 parts and suggested only 17 constitutional commissions.

However, the thematic committees had suggested 64 constitutional bodies in the new constitution. Malla said there were so many key issues that needed to be sorted out at the highest political level. She said that it was just a skeleton, but it would help the CC fill the necessary ingredients.

According to the 9th amendment to the CA work schedule, the CC has to prepare the first draft of the new constitution by March 5. However, CC members have said that it will be too short a time to prepare the first draft. Agni Kharel, coordinator of a 15-member study team, said his team had yet to go through the reports of eight concept papers, which will have to be presented in the CA full House to give instructions and suggestions to the CC.

The study team was formed to narrow down disputed issues included in the concept papers. He also suggested resolving those conflicting issues at the political level.