Kathmandu, June 12 :

A task force formed to give suggestions on constitutional structure headed by CPN-UML standing committee member Bharat Mohan Adhikari has suggested that it is necessary to immediately introduce an interim statute to institutionalise the political changes that have taken place through the people’s movement. The 10-member task force has also suggested that the revived House of Representatives must be kept secured by reaching an understanding with the Maoists until an election to a constituent assembly was held. “The political change that has taken place is not an ordinary change, it is a peaceful revolution. The achievements brought about by the changes cannot be safeguarded only by making amendments to the 1990 constitution,” said the report submitted to party general secretary Madhav Kumar Nepal last week. The report would be discussed at the standing committee meeting.

The report said it is imperative to introduce an interim statute even to give constitutional status to the political declaration made by the House of Representatives on May 18. The report said that legal and constitutional complications could arise if it was delayed to give the declaration a constitutional legitimacy.

“An interim statute is essential as the May 18 declaration has created constitutional confusion and the judiciary is also in confusion,” said Bharat Mohan Adhikari, coordinator of the task force. “An interim statute was necessary to remove constitutional confusion and to accommodate the Maoists in the interim government,” Adhikari said, adding that it would fill the constitutional vacuum until a new constitution was made. He said that the task force had consulted 421 persons of 170 organisations prior to the preparation of the document.

He said the party would come up with its official stance after holding discussions on it at the standing committee.