Skip to main content

Govt registers statute amendment proposal

After days of confusion, the government on Tuesday registered a constitution amendment proposal at the Parliament Secretariat, seeking to change four constitutional provisions. 
Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal’s Chief Political Adviser Chakrapani Khanal said the amendment proposal was registered after all major political parties save the main opposition CPN-UML expressed readiness to support it. 
PM Dahal on Tuesday afternoon had held discussions with Nepali Congress President Sher Bahadur Deuba and Rastriya Prajatantra Party Chairman Kamal Thapa before putting the amendment proposal before the Cabinet meeting at Baluwatar for approval. 
In the morning, PM Dahal, while addressing his party’s politburo meeting, had said the government was all set to register the amendment proposal “as the Madhes-based parties were ready to take part in the elections irrespective of the fate of the amendment proposal in Parliament”. 
According to Maoist leader Mani Thapa, Dahal told the meeting that discussions would continue with the main opposition and disgruntled Madhesi and Janajati forces even after the registration of the amendment proposal to forge consensus to get it endorsed by Parliament.
Dahal also briefed the politburo meeting about the talks he had held with Naya Shakti Nepal’s coordinator Baburam Bhattarai and Sanghiya Samajbadi Forum-Nepal Chairman Upendra Yadav.
The UML said that the government move of registering the proposal would invite political conflict and social tension. “We had requested the government not to register the proposal. We will counter the government’s move and take legal course if required,” said UML Secretary Pradip Gyawali. “We will oppose the government move from the public’s level as well as in Parliament,” he said.
Provisions to be amended
  • ON DEMARCATION: The government has proposed incorporating Rolpa, Pyuthan, Gulmi, Arghakhanchi, Palpa, half of Rukum and half of Nawalparasi of Province 5 in Province 4. Province 4 will have 17 districts and Province 5 will have six districts including half Nawalparasi.
  • ON LANGAUGE: Enlisting all the mother tongues of the country, the language commission will make recommendation to the government. The government will enlist all the mother tongues and official languages recommended by the commission in the schedule of the constitution.
  • ON CITIZENSHIP: Foreign women married to Nepali men can acquire naturalised citizenship as per the federal laws after starting the process to renounce her previous citizenship.
  • ON REPRESENTATION IN UPPER HOUSE: Three each from all seven provinces, including one woman, one Dalit and one differently-abled will be in the Upper House. Other 35 members would be elected on the basis of population. Among the 35 members to be elected on the basis of population, 14 women should be elected as per the federal laws 

Published: 30-11-2016
The Kathmandu post

http://kathmandupost.ekantipur.com/news/2016-11-30/govt-registers-statute-amendment-proposal.html

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

India Government raises grant for Nepal by 17 percent

India Government raises grant for Nepal by 17 percent The Indian government has pledged to extend 17 percent more in financial aid to Nepal in the next fiscal year, indicating greater enthusiasm of the southern neighbour to support the landlocked country’s development endeavours. The Indian government has allocated a grant of IRs3.75 billion (Rs6 billion) for Nepal in 2017-18, as against IRs3.20 in 2016-17. The allocation was made through the Union Budget 2017-18 launched by Indian Finance Minister Arjun Jaitely on Wednesday.  In addition to the amount, India has also pledged to extend a grant of IRs113.30 million to Nepal Police Academy in 2017-18, the Indian budget document says. The grant pledged for Nepal in 2017-18 is second highest among South Asian countries, with Bhutan leading the pack. The Indian government has expressed commitment to extend IRs37.14 billion in grant to Bhutan in 2017-18. The amount, however, is 4 percent lower than in 2016-17. In total, Ind...

Nepal to discuss new power trade guidelines with India

The Energy Ministry is planning to hold talks with the Indian Power Ministry over its recently issued discriminatory guidelines on cross-border power trade which prohibit private and third country hydropower developers in Nepal from exporting electricity to India with a one-time approval. According to the Guidelines on Cross-Border Trade of Electricity published by the Indian government last Monday, only companies in Nepal which are wholly owned by the Indian government or the public sector, or private companies with a 51 percent or higher Indian stake would be eligible to export power to India. These companies will be given a one-time approval to sell power to India, according to the guidelines. Also, companies owned or controlled by the Nepali government will be allowed to sell power to India after getting a one-time approval from the Indian authorities, according to the new rules. However, private companies owned by Nepali or third country developers wishing to export power to...

Protests, clashes in Province 5 districts over demarcations

With the government bent on tabling the constitution amendment bill in parliament, protests have intensified again in various districts of western and mid-western regions after a gap of few days. Protests that had been toned down earlier in view of the hardships caused to the locals, have now been intensified from Friday with an announcement of a three-day general strike in all districts of Province 5. 'Joint struggle committees' comprising leaders of major political parties in the districts--Nawalparasi, Rupandehi, Kapilvastu, Dang, Banke, Bardiya, Rukum, Rolpa, Pyuthan, Arghakhanchi, Gulmi and Palpa--announced the strike against government preparations to table the amendment proposal in parliament. The strike has largely affected vehicular movement while schools, government offices, factories and markets remained closed.  Tensions ran high in Gulmi, Nepalgunj of Banke and Rolpa after the protestors prevented locals from using all kinds of vehicles. Over 24 prot...