KATHMANDU, Oct 14: Various political leaders have termed the promulgation of the constitution and successful completion of the local level elections as the historic and significant achievements of the second Constituent Assembly (CA).

In their responses to queries about how they evaluate the term of the Legislature-Parliament turned CA, they said with the promulgation of the new constitution through the second CA, people’s decades-long aspirations have come true. The second CA was turned into the Legislature-Parliament on September 20, 2015 with the promulgation of the constitution.

CPN (Maoist Centre) chair Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’ said the peace process had become successful with the promulgation of the constitution through the people’s elected CA.

He took the time to claim that his party had sacrificed and struggled the most to realise the people’s many years long dream of writing the constitution on their own.

Similarly, CPN (UML) senior leader Jhalanath Khanal termed the second CA historic assembly that issued the constitution of federal democratic republic of Nepal in course of institutionalising the achievements of 2006 people’s movement.

He said the Nepali people have got a democratic, inclusive, patriotic, dynamic and socialism-oriented constitution for the first time, which itself was its biggest achievement.

Nepali Congress leader Gagan Kumar Thapa expressed happiness over the second Constituent Assembly formulating the constitution and holding the elections, which he said cleared his doubts whether the second constituent assembly, like the first one, would fail to issue a constitution.

He shared that he got the opportunity to serve as the president of a parliamentary committee and a minister during the term of this Legislature-Parliament, but expressed sadness that the Medical bill could not be passed.

The NC leader however expressed his dismay over the parliament’s shortcomings in keeping records in parliament.

Chairman of the Rastriya Janamorcha, Chitra Bahadur KC, recalling that the first Constituent Assembly failed to issue a constitution, said that the promulgation of the constitution from the second Constituent Assembly was a big achievement.

Stating that the desire of the Nepali people of over 70 years to write their own constitution from their representatives has been fulfilled, he said the Legislature-Parliament has not been able to play a satisfactory role in maintaining good governance.

As per the constitutional provision, the term of the Legislature-Parliament has terminated a day before October 15, the last day on which the political parties are required to submit the closed list of candidates under the proportional representation category of the House of Representatives and State Assembly elections scheduled for November 26 and December 7. RSS

KATHMANDU, Sept 19: The then President Dr. Ram Baran Yadav announced the promulgation of Constitution of Nepal, 2015 (2072) at a special meeting of the Constituent Assembly on September 20, 2015. Yadav, also the first ever President of Nepal, announced the commencement of the new Constitution despite having some dissent towards it. How has aspects of the the implementation of the constitution been these two years?

Here is an interview between the former President Yadav and senior journalist Rishi Dhamala focusing on the above issues.

It has been two years since the new Nepal Constitution was promulgated. How have you comprehended these two years?

The promulgation expedition started after the seven points understanding was made between the seven political parties and Nepal Communist Party (Maoist Center) in 2005. The same expedition promulgated the constitution. But the first Constitution Assembly could not write the constitution ultimately frustrating the mandate given by the People’s Movement. Democratic republic Nepal with federalism was the requisite of the constitution. After the first Constitution Assembly failed to write constitution, I was doubtful that they were not serious about the new-found republic system.

The second Constitution Assembly was successful to promulgate Nepal’s constitution, which brought Nepali Congress, CPN-UML, Maoist Center and Madhes-centered parties together. During the promulgating, we, supposedly, had to compromise on some issues. But, they were in Nepal’s interest.

Did the constitution writing accelerate after the 2015 earthquake?

The earthquake hit Nepal while constitution writing was in progress. It is true that the promulgation gained momentum after the devastating earthquake. But the big political parties could not understand me. They had said that the Constitution Assembly would be changed into House of Representatives, and which would resolve the Madhes issues and federalism disputes. But, since the Supreme Court suggested resolving the issues through Constitution Assembly, I stood as the protector and keeper of the constitution.

I was also not happy with the fact that promulgation was done in haste, without going through a certain process.

Hadn’t you asked the political parties to put off promulgation date?

No clause-wise discussion was carried out during the promulgation process, which was a obvious mistake as it’s not a constitutional process. I had asked the Constitution Assembly Chairperson Subash Nembang, the then Prime Minister Sushil Korala and the political parties, but they didn’t realize it. I had no wish to hold to the post of president for 7 years and 3 months. I was elected for two years though.

It was my aim to bring acceptable and inclusive constitution. The constitution was hinting at obvious error that a community and a region were left out. I was of the opinion to take Madhes-based parties into confidence. That’s why I had suggested deferring the promulgation date by 15 days or one month.

Why was it important to postpone the promulgation date?

I want to remind that fact that, during the first Madhes movement, I had told that people of Hill and Madhes are brothers. I had appealed for harmony and institutionalization of change. I had told that we should not leave Madhes behind in the process so that there would be integrity in geological diversity.

But it is said that if the date was deferred then, the constitution would not have been promulgated. And why did you promulgate the constitution at the Constitution Assembly?

I believe in democracy. The constitution was signed by 90 percent of the lawmakers including lawmakers from Madhes-centered parties. Likewise, 52 lawmakers from Nepali Congress party, 27 from CPN-UML had signed the constitution. The constitution was endorsed by the Constitution Assembly. But we could have written better constitution.

I had asked the then PM Koirala to keep the issues of inclusion, proportion and citizenship exact as it was in the interim constitution because it (interim constitution) was drafted in agreement of all the political parties. I had some disagreements regarding the constitution. But I announced the commencement of the new constitution because I believe in democracy.

But if you had taken stand and convinced the political parties, wouldn’t the implementation of constitution be easier now?

I did what I should have from my side. I accepted a democratic process.

PRAKASH SILWAL , KATHMANDU, Sept 18: As the promulgation and enforcement of new constitution of Nepal reaches the second year, the beginning of the end of political transition has set in motion in the country.

With the completion of two rounds of local level elections in six provinces and another round being held in province no 2 today, the announcements of dates for the election to the House of Representatives and State Assemblies, it is evident that the country is gradually inching towards the agenda of economic prosperity.

Some dissenting Madhesh-centric political parties had been demanding amendment in the new national charter concerning the delineation of federal provinces but to their dismay, the constitution amendment proposal failed to garner two-third majority in the Legislature-Parliament.

Yet, the Madhesh-centric parties are also contesting in the third round of local level election as the ruling parties have pledged to float the amendment proposal over again.

The Constitution of Nepal, 2015, which embraces federalism as one of the salient features, also envisages socialism besides eternal peace, prosperity and development.

The new constitution was promulgated on Asoj 3, 2072 BS through the second Constituent Assembly (CA) after the first failed to do so. Then President Dr Ram Baran Yadav promulgated the national statute from the CA building at New Baneshwor in Kathmandu.

The constitution’s further success will depend on the policies and plans that the governments at all levels bring after the elections are over for ending all forms of discrimination and exploitations brought about by the feudalistic, autocratic, centralized and unitary state of the past.

Although the three main political parties – the Nepali Congress, the CPN (UML) and the CPN (Maoist Centre) – which were on the same page on bringing the constitution, formed various sorts of coalition governments in the meantime, they have come to the same place now when it comes to implementing the constitution and holding the elections.

Nepali Congress leader Nabindra Raj Joshi said, “The different phases of constitution implementation are being fulfilled at the political plane. The country would get stability after the election of the Federal and State parliaments are held in December 2017. These developments have raised hopes and trust in the country and outside towards the constitution.”

Asked whether the constitution would be amended after the election, lawmaker Joshi said the constitution amendment would take place gradually on the basis of its necessity. He added that mainly the holding of the three phases of elections has ensured the implementation of the constitution.

CPN (UML) secretary Yogesh Bhattarai said the participation of the Madhes-centric parties, which had been that they would not accept the constitution, in the election should be considered the success of this constitution and a vindication of the agenda that his party had been raising.

“In a democracy, the state and the political parties should concentrate on serving the people by taking mandate from them through election. Elections taking place has raised hopes among the people,” he said.

CPN (Maoist Centre) leader Top Bahadur Rayamajhi said, “We were successful in promulgating the constitution amidst doubts of it at all being issued. The local level election have taken place in all provinces. This is like the morning showing the day. The rest of the elections will also take place smoothly now.” He added that the country will now march forward towards the path of development and economic prosperity.

As per the constitution, the election to the local level, the province assembly and the federal parliament will have to be done within January 21, 2018. In the meantime, the state restructuring commission and the electoral constituency delimitation commission have presented their reports to the government. These reports have already been implemented.

Similarly, the task of drafting laws compatible with the federalism has started and so has the process for forming a new constitutional council been started.

BIRATNAGAR, July 30: Nepali Congress central member Arjun Narsingh KC has said that the constitution promulgation was a historical achievement of the country while laying emphasis on bringing all sides together for its implementation as well.

At a press meet organized by Nepal Press Union at Biratnagar on Sunday, he said that the elections of the local levels should be taken as a path to the process of institutionalizing hard-earned federal democratic republic.

Noting that the voice of Madhes is the voice of NC, he said the NC was effortful for the amendment to the constitution.

He requested CPN-UML and RPP for their support to reach two third majority for the amendment to the constitution.

Leader KC said that he was against the factionalism in the party and stressed the need to initiate party cleansing campaign. RSS