Top leaders to pick inputs from public feedback

KATHMANDU, July 31: The Constitutional Political Dialogue and Consensus Committee (CPDCC) of the Constituent Assembly on Thursday tasked top leaders of major four political parties to pick inputs from suggestions collected during public feedback campaign for inclusion in the draft constitution.

A meeting of the committee on Wednesday formed a special committee comprising CPDCC Chairman Baburam Bhattarai, Prime Minister and Nepali Congress (NC) President Sushil Koirala, CPN-UML Chairman KP Oli, UCPN (Maoist) Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal and Madheshi People's Right Forum Democratic (MPRF-D) Chairman Bijay Gachchhadar and gave them three days to pick inputs to be included in the draft constitution.The team of the top leaders will present its report to a full committee meeting of the CDPCC. The CA's Constitution Drafting Committee will then update the draft constitution based on the suggestions forwarded by the CPDCC.

The CA full House meeting on Wednesday forwarded the report on public feedback prepared by the Citizen Relations and Constitution Suggestion Committee (CRCSC) to the CPDCC for suggesting issues to be revised in the first draft of the new statute. The CA plenary has given the CPDCC four days to complete the task.

"We formed a five-member special committee to finalizing the task within a given deadline," committee chairman Bhattarai told reporters while emerging from the meeting. "We will study the report and make suggestions for revising the first draft."The special committee has been asked to conclude its task by 3 pm Saturday. Senior leaders of major political parties reached an understanding on forming such a committee after a majority of leaders speaking at the CPDCC meeting floated the idea. Separate meetings between senior leaders of major political parties were held at Singha Durbar by putting off the CPDCC meeting for an hour.

The special taskforce is expected to suggest amendments to the provision on citizenship, religion, system of governance and electoral model for local bodies, among other things.

Leaders from dissident Madhes-based political parties have insisting on finalization of the boundaries of federal provinces before the constitution is promulgated.

Speaking at the CPDCC meeting, Tarai Madhes Democratic Party leader Sarbendra Nath Sukla and Shadbhavana Party leader Laxman Lal Karna warned of burning the constitution if it is promulgated without delineating the provinces.

The Constitution Drafting Committee will prepare the final draft of the new statute revising the first draft as per the suggestions made by the CPDCC.

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