KATHMANDU, April 17: After failing to arrive at consensus on the thorniest issues of constitution writing by Tuesday, the political parties have decided to seek five more days for the purpose.
They have also agreed that the disputed issues would be resolved through voting in the Constituent Assembly (CA) if there was no agreement within the five days.
A meeting of the CA´s Constitutional Committee (CC) on Tuesday decided to recommend to the Parliamentary Business Advisory Committee (BAC) to extend the deadline by five days. The BAC is meeting on Wednesday.
Earlier in a meeting of the Dispute Resolution Sub-Committee under the CC, leaders of all major parties in consultation with CA Chairman Subash Nembang had agreed to take a proposal to the CC meeting to extend the deadline.
Talking to media persons after the CC meeting, Maoist Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal said discussions among parties are moving in a positive direction. "There have been meaningful talks among parties toward resolving the disputes. We almost reached agreement on a number of issues [during the meeting held at Hattiban Resort]," he said.
Dahal said parties will need some time to forge consensus as some of the issues agreed in principle need to be endorsed through the central committees of their respective political parties. He revealed that parties have agreed in principle to embrace mixed system of governance at the Hattiban talks.
The big parties including the United Democratic Madhesi Front are scheduled to meet at 11 am Wednesday in a bid to make fresh efforts to arrive at consensus on the disputed issues.
The parties will then hold bilateral and trilateral meeting before sitting for a joint meeting of all political parties representing in the Constituent Assembly. "We have agreed to go for a voting in the CA to resolve the disputed issues if there was no agreement on the issues even in the extended deadline," he further said.
Despite a series of negotiation, parties are at odds over issues related to system of governance, electoral system, judicial system and federalism. Sources added that the BAC meeting on Wednesday is also likely to fix date for a CA meeting, which could hold voting if issues remained unresolved, apparently to exert pressure on the parties for consensus.
Earlier, major political parties had agreed to settle the issues related to peace process by April 12 and issues related to new constitution by April 17.
"We have settled the issues related to the peace process despite serious problems within our party. All parties should now work seriously to forge consensus on disputed issues of new constitution," Dahal further said.
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