A meeting of the committee Tuesday took the decision to this effect after coordinator of the dispute resolution subcommittee and UCPN (Maoist) Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal submitted a report describing the achievements made so far by the top leaders´ panel. [break]
CC Chairman Nilamber Acharya at the meeting proposed for the term extension saying that it would be appropriate to extend the term as 37 disputes have yet to be settled and the CC is yet to receive a crucial thematic report prepared by the state restructuring committee.
"The meeting decided to extend the term to March 29 with a mandate to resolve the remaining 37 disputes and the issues related to the state restructuring," said a statement issued by the CC.
The CC, which is mandated to resolve the disputes in statute drafting and preparing the first integrated draft of the new constitution, formed the subcommittee on February 25. Since then, the body resolved 38 contentious issues.
Parties lock horns over state restructuring commission
The Nepali Congress (NC), which is firmly against the thematic report prepared by the CA´s state restructuring committee, had earlier objected to forwarding it to the CC. "Today [Tuesday] we have unanimously agreed to forward the report to the CC and deliberate on it there," Maoist leader Narayankaji Shrestha told reporters.
Though NC leaders agreed to forward the report to the drafting committee, they have insisted on formation of the commission as well. The committee has proposed delineating the country into 14 provinces while the NC is for just six provinces.
"We are ready to discuss the thematic report at the CC but the NC´s stance is very clear that the issue of state restructuring must be studied and resolved through a high-level commission," said NC Chief Whip Laxman Ghimire.
But the Maoists are against forming the commission. They at the meeting argued that further delaying the issue of state restructuring under the pretext of forming the body is not wise as the CA´s extended deadline is approaching.
Also, Madhes-based parties have fervently opposed the idea of forming the commission terming it as a conspiracy against federalism. "We are for finalizing the decision based on the CA´s thematic committee´s report," said Chandrika Prasad Yadav, chief whip of Madhesi People´s Rights Forum after the meeting.
NC leaders had urged Prime Minister Jhalanath Khanal, who was present at the meeting, to immediately form the commission as it was a constitutional obligation for the government to form the body.
The prime minister said the government is ready to form the body if the parties are ready for that. "Making an announcement of the formation of such a body without forging consensus among the major parties is meaningless," leaders quoted the prime minister as saying at the meeting.
The government headed by Maoist Chairman Dahal had announced such a body but the government collapsed without giving full shape to the commission.
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