CA meeting suspended after Koirala resignation

Kathmandu, Jun 26 (UNI) The meeting of the Nepalese Constituent Assembly (CA) has been suspended until tomorrow after the members of Madhesi parties called for the inclusion of their demands in the amendment of the Constitution today.

The meeting could not be held following the resignation by Mr Girija Prasad Koirala at the CA meeting held at International Convention Centre yesterday.

Members belonging to Madhesi parties created an uproar, demanding that the points of agreement reached between the government and the United Democratic Madhesi Front in March, be included in the amendment bill.

''I want to ask why the points of that agreement, including the creation of Madhes autonomous province and other provinces and ensuring population-based proportional recruitment of all sections of society in all organs of state, are not included in this bill,'' Mr Bijaya Kumar Gachhadar, leader of Madhesi Janadhikar Forum, said.

Madhesi members would not allow the passage of the bill without it addressing their concerns, he said.

Scores of members swooped in before the rostrum and chanted slogans, forcing the chair of the Assembly to suspend it for 45 minutes. Subsequent discussions failed to resolve the impasse, forcing the suspension of the meeting till tomorrow.

The meeting could not hold a discussion on the fifth amendment bill, which has the provision of electing President, Vice-President, Prime Minister, CA Chairman and Vice-Chairman through simple majority.

The Maoist party, which emerged as the largest party with 220 seats in the 601-seat Assembly, was demanding the resignation of Mr Koirala to pave way for the formation of new government.

The two leftist parties -- Maoist and UML -- have formed an alliance to form the government excluding the Nepali Congress.

The President would be from the UML and the Prime Minister with executive power would be from the Maoist party.

UNI XC SKB AS1440