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Extending Term Of Constituent Assembly
By KTM Metro Reporter
November 30, 2011: yesterday the parliament has passed the 11th amendment Bill on Interim Constitution of Nepal of 2007 by more than two-thirds majority votes extending the term of the Constituent Assembly (CA) by another six months. The CA expires November 30, 2011. Following the passing of the 11th amendment bill, the life of the CA is extended to May 30, 2012. By this time, the CA needs to promulgate a new constitution, as the Supreme Court of Nepal on November 25, 2011 has ruled that the parliament could extend the term of the CA only once for six months at the maximum.
Out of the 508 lawmakers present in the House session, 505 voted for the 11th amendment bill, only 3 voted against it. The current parliament has 598 lawmakers. However, the parliament is of 601 members.
Previously, the parliament had extended the term of the CA for one year for the first time, then for three months and for another three months, now for six months altogether the parliament has extend the term of the CA for two years. Nepalis had elected the CA for two years in 2008.
The mandate given to the CA is to craft a new constitution and then promulgate it. The CA also works as a parliament until a new parliament is set to be elected.
The international community has welcomed the extension of the term of the CA and has hoped that a new constitution will be crafted within this period. The understanding the political leaders have reached has encouraged the international community.
Before sitting at the house session, leaders of UCPN-Maoist, NC, CPN-UML and UDMF reached a six-point deal agreeing on extending the term of the CA for six months.
The six-point deal published in Nepali in ‘gorkhaptra’ of today is as follow.
1. We are committed to complete the peace process immediately completing all work needed to be completed following the seven-point deal reached on November 1, 2011.
2. All the remaining work of all the activities to be completed by November 23, 2011 or within one month, as mentioned in the seven-point deal should be completed by the concerned political party and by the government by December 15, 2011.
3. A meeting will be held every seven days to review the progress made in completing the activities needed to be completed following the seven-point deal.
4. The Constitutional Committee of the CA will make public within December 6, 2011 the calendar of operation of completing the crafting of a new constitution. Recently set-up high-level commission on Recommending State Restructuring will submit a report on recommendations within two months from the date of its first sitting.
5. A consensus government will be formed without delay.
6. The term of the CA will be extended for six months.
