Kathmandu, November 14:

The Parliamentary State Affairs Committee (SAC) could not finalise the Citizenship Laws Integration and Amendment Bill, 2006, today after some MPs raised concern about Maoists’ consent to pass the Bill by the HoR.

The SAC could not hold a clause-wise discussion.

The meeting in the morning was obstructed for half-an-hour after some MPs said the Maoists had objected to the information that there was agreement between Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala and Maoist chairman Prachanda to pass the Bill by this House.

Citing his conversation with Maoist leaders this morning, MP Lila Mani Pokhrel demanded that Home Minister Krishna Prasad Sitaula get Maoists’ commitment before holding clause-wise discussion.

An informal meeting was conduced later after Sitaula confirmed that the government would convince the Maoists.

After a heated discussion for almost four hours, SAC told the Home Minister to change language in clauses 1, 3 and 5, related to the cut-off date and issuance of naturalised citizenship.