Off the wire
• China Voice: Momentum of growing CPC, KMT dialogue irreversible  • Major news items in leading German newspapers  • Israel urges fund cutting for ICC over probe into war crimes  • Roundup: Roadside bomb, suicide attacks kill 5, wound 17 in Afghanistan within day  • Vonn equals overall World Cup victories record in Alpine skiing  • Iran nuclear talks resumed in Geneva  • One dead, several burnt in Bangladesh blockade violence  • 1st LD writethru: 5 injured as roadside bomb hits police van in E. Afghanistan  • Russian DM due in Tehran eyeing defense cooperation  • Urgent: Casualties feared as roadside bomb hits police van in E. Afghanistan  
You are here: 　 Home

Nepal's parties yet to agree on statute though only four days left to meet deadline

Xinhua, January 18, 2015 Adjust font size:

With just 4 days remaining to meet the Jan. 22 deadline of constitution drafting, Nepal's major political parties are yet to agree on contentious issues or process to be adopted, cross-party leaders said on Sunday.

Deliberation on contentious issues of new constitution in full House Constituent Assembly (CA) came to an end on Monday. In the discussions, ruling parties preferred to prepare preliminary draft of a new constitution on the basis of voting process, while opposition party lawmakers said there should be consensus among parties.

As parties failed to give any way out, the meeting of CA has been postponed for Monday. Top leaders of Nepali Congress, CPN-UML and UCPN (Maoist) are holding discussions to find any solution.

As the chances of a new constitution within the deadline effectively ended, top leaders are working to forge consensus within the deadline so that a new constitution could be ensured some months latter fulfilling all the procedures.

The number and demarcation of federal states have emerged as disputed issues of the new constitution. The major parties are mulling over the formation of a Federal Commission for settling the contentious issues.

According to ruling party leaders, the issues related to federalism will be settled.

"We are trying to settle all contentious issues through a consensus among the major parties," said CPN-UML Chairman KP Oli.

Parties are close to consensus on form of the government, federalism, judiciary and electoral system. Endi