Nepal joins list of countries drafting constitution from CA

After President Dr Ram Baran Yadav promulgates the Constitution of Nepal at the Constituent Assembly (CA) hall in New Baneshwor today, Nepal will become a country, among other more than 40 countries, which promulgated constitution through people elected representative forum, like the CA.
The process to promulgate constitution through the CA involves long constitutional process though, but a perfect one to accommodate voices of majority people through their elected political party representatives. It is also a democratic process for the people to make laws for themselves through their elected political party leaders.

On the grounds that it is not practical to address voices of all groups in the constitution, people from various walks of life and various organisations and sectors welcomed the new constitution.
And the country is gearing up to celebrate this historic moment with fanfare.
Looking back at the history of the CA, the first CA was dismantled in 2012 with the major political parties differing over major agendas of the country like system of state governance and numbers of federal units among others.
Again, the second CA elections were held after the major political parties failed to deliver the new constitution through the first CA, paving the way for the delivery of the constitution.
Once again, the major political parties have been able to mark historic efforts—to promulgate the constitution, ending protracted political instability and concluding the peace process.
For that, voting was also held in the CA to promulgate the constitution. Among 601 lawmakers, 507 from the major political parties and some fringe political parties voted in favour of the constitution while 25 votes stood against the constitution.
Likewise, some agitating groups and political parties like Madhes-based political parties and Tharus walked out of the CA and rejected the constitution-making process. They were of the view that major political parties failed to incorporate their demands in the constitution.
Going back at the history of the countries, which delivered constitution through the CA, France stands the first one to do so. First, France formed the CA in 1789 and was reformed in July 9, 1789 and dissolved in 1791.
Norway, among the countries having delivered constitution through the CA, got its constitution out in 1814. Likewise, Russia delivered its constitution in 1918, Germany in 1919, Ireland in 1922, India in 1949, Pakistan in 1956, Italy in 1946, Israel in 1948, Turkey in 1961, Namibia in 1990, Colombia in 1992, Ethiopia in 1994, South Africa in 1994, East Timor in 1996, Venezuela in 1999 and Lithuania in 1920.
Going through the process of constitution delivery, some countries had to bite taste of a failure while some others managed to make it a success.
Going by the practice of such countries, a lack of clarity on the concept of the constitution, of failure to manage transition period properly and imbalance among peoples’ wishes and the structure of the constitution are among those factors for the failure of constitution issued by the CA.
Proper implementation comes after promulgation of the constitution to make a new constitution effective and it is an important factor the political parties in Nepal should pay heeds to.
On top of all, it is most essential for addressing voices of those groups and people dissatisfied with the constitution and make them become responsible and take the ownership of the constitution. RSS