KATHMANDU, April 10: Arguing that the High Level Political Committee (HLPC), which has been formed to offer political suggestions to the Interim Election Council, may influence the Constituent Assembly (CA) election, Madhesi People´s Right Forum (MPRF) has demanded its dissolution.
According to MPRF central committee member Arjun Thapa, a two-day central committee meeting of the party concluded that polls can not be conducted freely and fairly until HLPC exists. [break]MPRF made its decisions public on Tuesday amid a press meet at the party´s central office in Balkumari, Lalitpur.
MPRF has claimed that HLPC may influence the Interim Election Council in serving the interests of UCPN (Maoist), Nepali Congress (NC), CPN-UML and United Democratic Madhesi Front (UDMF). Top leaders of UCPN (Maoist), Nepali Congress (NC), CPN-UML and UDMF are members of HLPC.
MPRF has also demanded resignation of Chairman of Interim Election Council Khil Raj Regmi from the post of chief justice stating that a single person can not hold both the posts as it is against the democratic norms and values, principle of separation for power and constitutional checks and balances.
Rejecting the proposed 240 seats under the proportional representation electoral system, the party has maintained that 335 seats should be allocated under the system.
The party has said that reducing the seats under proportional representation is a conspiracy to curtail representation of Madhesis, women, Muslim, Dalits, and other marginalized groups in the CA.
MPRF has also stated the provision of nominating CA members should be scrapped arguing that it would be undemocratic to send nominated members to an elected institution. The party has demanded delineation constituencies in accordance with the new census report 2012.
Similarly, MPRF has said that the political parties should arrive at consensus on basic principles of new statute through an all-party gathering. “There must be consensus on the system of governance and federalism, among others issues, before the CA polls are held,” said Thapa.
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