Constitution Drafting Committee taskforce holds discussions to sort out differences

Kathmandu, June 24: The taskforce comprising the chiefs of the sub-committees under the Constitution Drafting Committee held discussions today to settle the dispute seen in writing the draft of the constitution.

The meeting of the taskforce held at the Prime Minister’s residence at Baluwatar with the participation of the top leaders of the four parties discussed on ways of settling the contentious issues as the demarcation of the federal provinces, the form of the local bodies, among other issues, seen in the writing of the draft of the new constitution.

The committee had solicited the views of the top leaders on the disputed issues before the commencement of its plenary meeting.

Briefing the media about the meeting, Nepali Congress vice-president Ram Chandra Poudel said the thorny issues related to the draft of the constitution were discussed with the committee and the committee suggested to move ahead by settling the issues.

“They (the draft writing committee) put forth their views in the meeting of the taskforce and we have put ours. Now, they will sit together and finalise the issues. There is some dispute regarding the demarcation of the border of the federal provinces and we have put our views on this that the dispute should be settled through consensus by any means,” he said.

CPN (UML) vice-chairman Bhim Rawal said in the meeting discussions were held on the progress made before the larger outline of the constitution was presented in the full meeting of the drafting committee and some other additional topics.

Rawal further said – “Agreement has been reached regarding the progress made so far and to determine which topics needed to be discussed at what level and moving forward the constitution drafting works within the fixed period at the earliest.”

He added that the major parties were working positively towards seeking consensus on the contentious issues being based on the 16-point agreement reached among the major parties.

Present in the meeting were the NC vice-president Poudel, coordinator of the Committee Krishna Sitaula, UML vice-chairman Rawal, the UCPN (Maoist) vice-chairman Narayan Kaji Shrestha, Chief Whip of the UCPN (Maoist) Giriraj Mani Pokharel and Chairman of the Madhesi Janadhikar Forum (Democratic) Bijaya Gachchhadar and general secretary Jeetendra Dev. RSS