According to a press statement issued by the Office of the President on Saturday, the head of state has asked the parties to reach consensus on government formation by Friday. Article 38 (1) has the provision of consensus-based government. [break]
If the parties fail to reach an agreement on the prime ministerial candidate, Article 38 (2) will be activated, which has the provision of a majority-based government.
The country has been left without a prime minister after the current caretaker Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal resigned in June last year. It became possible to begin the prime ministerial election anew after the sole candidate Ram Chandra Paudel, after being defeated 16 times in voting, pulled out of the race.
President calls on the parties for peace, constitution
President Yadav said on Saturday that he is concerned at the continuous deadlock over the prime ministerial election and the overall peace process. "The party leaders should reach consenus and save the country from calamity," Nepali Congress (NC) leader Ram Chandra Paudel quoted the president as saying during a reception at the latter´s office in Kathmandu.
The president told the party leaders that people have become frustrated by the stalled peace process and they should put in their best efforts to conclude the peace process and constitution drafting.
"We are still on the right track, and I trust you. But I also feel worried and pain. People are frustrated with the whole political process," Maoist Vice-chairman Narayankaji Shrestha quoted the president as telling the leaders.
Top leaders including Maoist Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal, UML Chairman Jhalanath Khanal, Nepali Congress (NC) President Sushil Koirala and parliamentary party leader Ram Chandra Paudel, and Speaker Subas Nembang, among others, were present at the meeting.
"People´s faith in the democratic institutions and the peace process is on the wane. It is not good," Shrestha quoted the president as telling the leaders. According to him, the president called on the political parties to make all-out efforts to conclude the constitution drafting and the peace process.
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