Easier said than done

The Himalayan Times

12 December 2019

Easier said than done

Nepal has been practicing the federal system for the last two years in accordance with the new constitution promulgated on September 20, 2015. This is the seventh constitution of Nepal which was guided by the 2007 Interim Constitution and the Comprehensive Peace Agreement. The first Constituent Assembly that was in place from May 28, 2008 to May 28, 2012, failed to draft the new constitution and was compelled to extend its mandate for the second term. Soon after the promulgation of new constitution, three tiers of elections were held to elect people’s representatives at the local, provincial and federal levels. 

The then Madheshi Janadhikar Forum led by Upendra Yadav, joined the current federal government after signing a two-point agreement. One of the main deals was the amendment of the constitution. Now, his party got merged with Naya Shakti Party, led by Baburam Bhattarai, now bearing a new name, Samajbadi Party of Nepal. Yadav still thinks and insists that amending the constitution is indispensable and has become urgent “Statute amendment indispensable: Yadav (THT, December 11, Page 3). He seems committed to forming a high-level team for amending the constitution. Time will tell whether he, being Deputy Prime Minister and Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Minister in the Oli led government, will be able to amend the constitution in the remaining two years.

Rai Biren Bangdel

Maharajgunj