Nepal Constituent Assembly proceedings resume

Kathmandu, Jul 10: The Constituent Assembly (CA) proceedings resumed on Wednesday evening, after being interrupted for nearly two weeks following obstructions caused by Madhes-based parties.

The meeting began after the Madhesi parties agreed to let the Constituent Assembly function normally. The government has tabled the supplementary bill for amendment in the interim Constitution for endorsement. CPN (Maoist) chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal 'Prachanda' said his party, as the largest party, was committed to collaborate with the representatives of the parties and different sections represented in the Assembly.

He said the supplementary amendment bill introduced by the government in Constituent Assembly has been prepared in view of the aspirations of Madhesi people, indigenous and backward communities and Dalits for autonomy.

Prachanda said the parties have successfully brought the peace process thus far without intervention from outside. However, he admitted that the parties had not been able to meet the expectations of the people even after three months of successful election to the Constituent Assembly.

Madhesi People's Rights Forum (MPRF) coordinator Upendra Yadav said that the government introduced the new bill breaching the agreements made in the past.

"Everywhere in the world, autonomous states are authorised to run their state, administration and judiciary independently," said Yadav, adding, "Unless the Madhes autonomous state is established, it won't be free from internal colonialis."

On Tuesday, the Seven-Party Alliance (SPA) retracted the earlier supplementary amendment bill draft and prepared a new one to address the demands raised by the disgruntled Madhesi parties.

Even as the Madhesi parties had demanded a single Madhes province and group entry of Madhesis in to the Nepal Army, the bill has provisions, which state that Nepal will be a federal democratic republic and will uphold the aspirations of autonomous provinces of Madhesis, indigenous people and people from backward and other regions.

The bill adds that the detailed definition regarding such provinces would be determined by the Constituent Assembly, Nepalnews reported.

ANI