Nepal tables new Bill amending Constitution

April 12, 2017 12:00 am | Updated 03:34 am IST - Kathmandu

It will address the Madhesis’ demands

The Nepal government on Tuesday tabled a new Constitution amendment Bill in Parliament to address the demands of the agitating Madhesi parties which are demanding more representation and re-demarcation of state boundaries ahead of next month’s local elections.

According to the new Bill, the government may form a federal commission to recommend it on the issues relating to the number of provinces and their boundaries.

The coalition government registered the new Constitution amendment Bill at the Parliament Secretariat after Minister for Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Ajaya Shankar Nayak withdrew the previous bill tabled in Parliament on November 29 last year.

A Cabinet meeting on Monday endorsed the new Bill with a view to addressing the demands of agitating Madhes-based parties and bringing them on board the local polls scheduled for May 14. The draft law aims to address some of the key demands raised by United Democratic Madhesi Front.

More representation

The Parliament meeting was later adjourned for eight days, Speaker Onsari Gharti said.

The Madhesi parties have been demanding more representation in all state mechanism. Madhesis, mostly of Indian-origin, launched a prolonged agitation between September 2015 and February last year against the implementation of the new Constitution, which they felt marginalised the Terai community.

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