The CA, which was elected in 2008 with a two-year term, has already been extended three times before this.
The Constituent Assembly was elected in 2008, tasked to draft a new federal, secular constitution within two years. After repeatedly failing to do so, it has twice extended its term limit. Of the 508 lawmakers present at the House session, 505 voted in favour of the bill seeking amendment to the Interim Constitution that would pave way for extending the CA term, while three lawmakers voted against the bill. Also on Tuesday, political parties reiterated their commitment to complete the constitution drafting process within the extended deadline, while offering a vague understanding among them to form a national consensus government without a fixed timetable.
The political parties have the obligation to complete the constitution writing process within this time after the Supreme Court issued a verdict to extend the CA term for one last time. The major political parties on Sunday formed a three-member task force to prepare the time-bound calendar to conclude the peace process in view of the six-month limit imposed by the apex court for extending the CA term.
“This is certainly the last extension. We have a compulsion to meet the deadline,” said former Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal. “We can complete the work if all the parties demonstrate seriousness.”
The decision was immediately welcomed by the UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, who hoped for a Kathmandu-based international community, like the European Union (EU), Norway, and Switzerland, that would allow for a "meaningful process of public consultation on the constitution".
Issuing a press statement on Tuesday, Secretary General’s Spokesperson stated that Ki-moon is upbeat with the growing consensus amongst the political parties in Nepal to take the peace process forward. Noting the decision taken by the CA members to extend the Constituent Assembly by six more months, he called on all concerned to fulfill their commitments and reaffirms the continued support of the United Nations to the peace process of Nepal.
The EU released a statement saying, "We stress the need for Nepal to live up to fundamental human rights, and the need for the proposed Truth and Reconciliation Commission to meet the standards of international law."
The Japanese Embassy called for continued efforts on all sides to bring "the historical peace process to a successful conclusion".
Analysts say that the upcoming issue of setting up a federal system could invite a serious tug-of-war among the political parties sans any formal agreement on what the basis would be for the federal structure. The ethnic uprising across the nation and subsequent demand for ethic based federalism is a key bone of contention among the parties. Many are opposing the ethnic-based federal set up. Nepal is a multi-cultural, multi- ethnic, multi-caste, highly centralized nation of late, demands to address these concerns are reaching the central stage of politics.
The deep division and polarization among the political parties that are competing for power is an another reason arguably shunning the broad political consensus. Although Tuesday’s move is seen as a sign of sincerity emerging within the political scene, without completion of the peace process, writing a new constitution would be a distant dream.
It is presumed that after the completion of the peace and constitution drafting processes, a long and tardy post-transitional process would finally be over, and Nepal can prepare for new periodical elections. Nepal has been witnessing many ups and downs during this five year long transitional period. Frequent changes in government, poor governance, poor delivery, sky rocketing prices of essential goods, and deep divisions among the political parties, leading to a deficit of trust and crisis of confidence among the parties and frustration across the general public.
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Nepal Extends Constitution Drafting Process
December 6, 2011
The CA, which was elected in 2008 with a two-year term, has already been extended three times before this.
The Constituent Assembly was elected in 2008, tasked to draft a new federal, secular constitution within two years. After repeatedly failing to do so, it has twice extended its term limit. Of the 508 lawmakers present at the House session, 505 voted in favour of the bill seeking amendment to the Interim Constitution that would pave way for extending the CA term, while three lawmakers voted against the bill. Also on Tuesday, political parties reiterated their commitment to complete the constitution drafting process within the extended deadline, while offering a vague understanding among them to form a national consensus government without a fixed timetable.
The political parties have the obligation to complete the constitution writing process within this time after the Supreme Court issued a verdict to extend the CA term for one last time. The major political parties on Sunday formed a three-member task force to prepare the time-bound calendar to conclude the peace process in view of the six-month limit imposed by the apex court for extending the CA term.
“This is certainly the last extension. We have a compulsion to meet the deadline,” said former Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal. “We can complete the work if all the parties demonstrate seriousness.”
The decision was immediately welcomed by the UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, who hoped for a Kathmandu-based international community, like the European Union (EU), Norway, and Switzerland, that would allow for a "meaningful process of public consultation on the constitution".
Issuing a press statement on Tuesday, Secretary General’s Spokesperson stated that Ki-moon is upbeat with the growing consensus amongst the political parties in Nepal to take the peace process forward. Noting the decision taken by the CA members to extend the Constituent Assembly by six more months, he called on all concerned to fulfill their commitments and reaffirms the continued support of the United Nations to the peace process of Nepal.
The EU released a statement saying, "We stress the need for Nepal to live up to fundamental human rights, and the need for the proposed Truth and Reconciliation Commission to meet the standards of international law."
The Japanese Embassy called for continued efforts on all sides to bring "the historical peace process to a successful conclusion".
Analysts say that the upcoming issue of setting up a federal system could invite a serious tug-of-war among the political parties sans any formal agreement on what the basis would be for the federal structure. The ethnic uprising across the nation and subsequent demand for ethic based federalism is a key bone of contention among the parties. Many are opposing the ethnic-based federal set up. Nepal is a multi-cultural, multi- ethnic, multi-caste, highly centralized nation of late, demands to address these concerns are reaching the central stage of politics.
The deep division and polarization among the political parties that are competing for power is an another reason arguably shunning the broad political consensus. Although Tuesday’s move is seen as a sign of sincerity emerging within the political scene, without completion of the peace process, writing a new constitution would be a distant dream.
It is presumed that after the completion of the peace and constitution drafting processes, a long and tardy post-transitional process would finally be over, and Nepal can prepare for new periodical elections. Nepal has been witnessing many ups and downs during this five year long transitional period. Frequent changes in government, poor governance, poor delivery, sky rocketing prices of essential goods, and deep divisions among the political parties, leading to a deficit of trust and crisis of confidence among the parties and frustration across the general public.
