The ongoing meeting of the party´s central committee is likely to endorse the proposal on Wednesday. [break]
Nepali Congress Vice-president Ram Chandra Paudel proposed amendment to Article 138 of the interim constitution, which relates to the formation of a high-level commission to make recommendations on the delineation of federal provinces, arguing that any group, commission or committee on state restructuring should have a constitutional basis.
“I have proposed formation of an expert group from within the Constituent Assembly,” Paudel told Republica, further interpreting his proposal at the party´s central committee.
The central committee did not take a decision on the proposal as party President Sushil Koirala left the meeting early to attend another function. NC leaders told Republica that the central committee is divided over the proposal.
Some leaders speaking at the meeting were of the view that NC should not give up its present stance on the formation of a state restructuring commission as provisioned in Article 138 while others opined that the party should go for the formation of an expert group.
“Despite differing opinions, the central committee is likely to endorse the formation of an expert group on state restructuring by amending the interim constitution,” said a central committee member, preferring anonymity.
Paudel, as directed by party President Sushil Koirala, had prepared the proposal after other political parties proposed formation of a group of experts last Saturday as a middle way to resolve the long-standing row over formation of a state restructuring commission. UCPN (M), CPN-UML and Madhesi parties were unanimous over the formation of an expert group during the meeting of the sub-committee under the Constitutional Committee on Saturday.
While NC has long sought formation of the commission as provisioned in the interim constitution, other parties, mainly UCPN (M) and the Madhes-based parties, have questioned the relevance of such a commission in view of the time constraints facing the Constituent Assembly.
Peace first, then constitution
Meanwhile, the central committee also discussed the party´s stance on the peace process in view of the Maoists´ decision to hand over the keys of arms containers to the Special Committee.
At the meeting, NC leader Sher Bahadur Deuba had presented a proposal outlining the party´s stance on issues related to the peace process. The proposal says keys handover row in the UCPN (Maoist) has indicated that the Maoists may not be honest in taking the peace process forward.
But a majority of the Nepali Congress leaders who spoke at the meeting on Tuesday opined that the party should take the Maoists´ move positively, according to Dhan Raj Gurung.
Another leader Nabindra Raj Joshi told Republica that the central committee members were almost unanimous in that the peace process should precede the drafting of the statute.
Deuba has proposed that a maximum of 4,000 ex-Maoist combatants -- about 3,000 less than what the Maoists have proposed -- should be integrated into the security agencies on an individual basis.
The proposal has appealed to Prime Minister Dr Baburam Bhattarai and the UCPN (M) to present a credible basis for the completion of the peace process.
“The central committee is almost unanimous over the proposal,” said NC leader Dr Prakash Sharan Mahat, “The central committee meeting on Wednesday will endorse it.”
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