KATHMANDU, AUG 16 -
President Ram Baran Yadav has advised senior leaders of major political parties to demarcate provinces in line with the aspirations of the local people and by ensuring resource-sharing among the provinces.
Arguing that federalism may not sustain only by addressing political demands, the head of state advised the leaders to make all the provinces economically viable and to respect local people’s aspirations while maintaining national integrity.
In a meeting with the heads of major parties, President Yadav expressed his concerns whether some states including Province 2 in the Tarai could sustain without the Hills. “Will this province sustain economically? Will the people in this region get equal opportunities in future?” a source quoted the President as wondering.
Province 2, which is also the electoral constituency of President Yadav, comprises only the Tarai districts of Parsa, Bara, Rautahat, Sarlahi, Mahottari, Dhanusha, Siraha and Saptari. Most of the districts rank low in Human Development Index. Yadav was also worried about the protests taking place across the country including in the far-western and mid-western regions against the delineation.
Disagreeing with the major parties’ decision to fast-track constitution promulgation, the President suggested following the set procedure in the Constituent Assembly. The leaders, however, expressed their reservations about the President’s views on following the due procedure.
The President warned that lawmakers could be dissatisfied if they did not get enough time to discuss the final statute draft in the CA. “Timely promulgation of the constitution is a positive thing but lawmakers should not feel that they were not involved in discussions on the draft,” Yadav’s Press Advisor Rajendra Dahal quoted him as saying.
The President, however, pledged support to the process devised by the parties. Chiefs of major parties were invited to the President’s residence at a time when the new constitution reaches its final stage. Maoist leader Baburam Bhattarai, who heads the Special Committee of the Political Dialogue and Consensus Committee, attended the meeting too.
Prime Minister and Nepali Congress President Sushil Koirala, CPN-UML Chairman KP Sharma Oli, UCPN (Maoist) chief Pushpa Kamal Dahal and Madhesi Janadhikar Forum-Loktantrik head Bijaya Kumar Gachhadar were invited for a dinner meeting at Sheetal Niwas. Drafting Committee head Krishna Prasad Sitaula snubbed the invite.
During the two-hour session, the President praised the leaders for deciding the state borders as directed by the Supreme Court. He also suggested that the parties ensure independence and autonomy of constitutional bodies and the court, and include as fundamental rights only the provisions that the state is capable of ensuring.
Parties yet to sort statute disputes
The major parties are still indecisive about resolving the disputes of the new constitution and the way to respond to protests that are raging in several parts of the country against the six-state federal model.
The Special Committee, which was supposed to find consensus on the issues of religion, threshold and re-appointments at constitutional bodies, failed to meet on Saturday.
Sources close to the heads of major parties said the scheduled meeting was postponed after members of the Constitution Drafting Committee were unable to prepare the final statute draft while bilateral meetings failed to agree on the remaining issues.
“The next meeting will be held on Sunday morning once the taskforce incorporates the agreed agendas in the draft and the meeting of second-rung leaders comes up with an amicable solution on the unsettled issues,” said UCPN (Maoist) Central Committee member Choodamani Khadka.
Drafting Committee members Krishna Sitaula, Bhim Rawal and Narayan Kaji Shrestha are assigned to modify the draft as per the latest agreement among the four parties.
On August 9, the four parties agreed to elect the President and the Vice President from different genders, ensure complete press freedom in the preamble, mandate the Federal Commission to sort technical issues of demarcation, elect a 51-member National Assembly and include the Army chief in the National Security Council.
The UCPN (Maoist) is for forming special autonomous regions for Tharus in Tarai and the Karnali people as committed in the first CA and while addressing their demands in the past. “We need to address the demands of the Tharus by any means,” said Maoist leader Shrestha.
The UML presses for mandating a Federal Commission to give final touches to the delineation of the six provinces. “The existing demarcation is tentatively okay. A commission can be formed if the issue needs more time,” said UML leader Bhim Rawal.
A section of NC leaders are pitching for creating a new province incorporating Rukum and Rolpa from Province 5 and Kalikot, Dailekh, Mugu, Jumla, Humla and Dolpa from Province 6. The parties are also at odds over how to address concerns related to secularism, vote threshold for party recognition and re-appointments at constitutional bodies.
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In a meeting with the heads of major parties, President Yadav expressed his concerns whether some states including Province 2 in the Tarai could sustain without the Hills. “Will this province sustain economically? Will the people in this region get equal opportunities in future?” a source quoted the President as wondering.
Province 2, which is also the electoral constituency of President Yadav, comprises only the Tarai districts of Parsa, Bara, Rautahat, Sarlahi, Mahottari, Dhanusha, Siraha and Saptari. Most of the districts rank low in Human Development Index. Yadav was also worried about the protests taking place across the country including in the far-western and mid-western regions against the delineation.
Disagreeing with the major parties’ decision to fast-track constitution promulgation, the President suggested following the set procedure in the Constituent Assembly. The leaders, however, expressed their reservations about the President’s views on following the due procedure.
The President warned that lawmakers could be dissatisfied if they did not get enough time to discuss the final statute draft in the CA. “Timely promulgation of the constitution is a positive thing but lawmakers should not feel that they were not involved in discussions on the draft,” Yadav’s Press Advisor Rajendra Dahal quoted him as saying.
The President, however, pledged support to the process devised by the parties. Chiefs of major parties were invited to the President’s residence at a time when the new constitution reaches its final stage. Maoist leader Baburam Bhattarai, who heads the Special Committee of the Political Dialogue and Consensus Committee, attended the meeting too.
Prime Minister and Nepali Congress President Sushil Koirala, CPN-UML Chairman KP Sharma Oli, UCPN (Maoist) chief Pushpa Kamal Dahal and Madhesi Janadhikar Forum-Loktantrik head Bijaya Kumar Gachhadar were invited for a dinner meeting at Sheetal Niwas. Drafting Committee head Krishna Prasad Sitaula snubbed the invite.
During the two-hour session, the President praised the leaders for deciding the state borders as directed by the Supreme Court. He also suggested that the parties ensure independence and autonomy of constitutional bodies and the court, and include as fundamental rights only the provisions that the state is capable of ensuring.
Parties yet to sort statute disputes
The major parties are still indecisive about resolving the disputes of the new constitution and the way to respond to protests that are raging in several parts of the country against the six-state federal model.
The Special Committee, which was supposed to find consensus on the issues of religion, threshold and re-appointments at constitutional bodies, failed to meet on Saturday.
Sources close to the heads of major parties said the scheduled meeting was postponed after members of the Constitution Drafting Committee were unable to prepare the final statute draft while bilateral meetings failed to agree on the remaining issues.
“The next meeting will be held on Sunday morning once the taskforce incorporates the agreed agendas in the draft and the meeting of second-rung leaders comes up with an amicable solution on the unsettled issues,” said UCPN (Maoist) Central Committee member Choodamani Khadka.
Drafting Committee members Krishna Sitaula, Bhim Rawal and Narayan Kaji Shrestha are assigned to modify the draft as per the latest agreement among the four parties.
On August 9, the four parties agreed to elect the President and the Vice President from different genders, ensure complete press freedom in the preamble, mandate the Federal Commission to sort technical issues of demarcation, elect a 51-member National Assembly and include the Army chief in the National Security Council.
The UCPN (Maoist) is for forming special autonomous regions for Tharus in Tarai and the Karnali people as committed in the first CA and while addressing their demands in the past. “We need to address the demands of the Tharus by any means,” said Maoist leader Shrestha.
The UML presses for mandating a Federal Commission to give final touches to the delineation of the six provinces. “The existing demarcation is tentatively okay. A commission can be formed if the issue needs more time,” said UML leader Bhim Rawal.
A section of NC leaders are pitching for creating a new province incorporating Rukum and Rolpa from Province 5 and Kalikot, Dailekh, Mugu, Jumla, Humla and Dolpa from Province 6. The parties are also at odds over how to address concerns related to secularism, vote threshold for party recognition and re-appointments at constitutional bodies.
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