Kathmandu: Nepal`s Cabinet on Friday approved a
bill seeking amendment to the Interim Constitution for
formation of a panel of experts to resolve contentious issues
relating to state restructuring in order to expedite the
Constitution-drafting process.
The amendment bill, which aims to change Article 138 of
the interim Constitution, was registered at the Parliament
Secretariat after its approval by the Cabinet.
If the 601-member Constituent Assembly clears the bill,
the Constitution will be amended for the 11th time.
Minister for Law and Justice Brijesh Kumar Gupta and
Constituent Assembly Minister Gopal Kirati registered the bill
at the Constituent Assembly Secretariat.
The government has decided to amend the Constitution
in line with a seven-point agreement signed among the
country`s major political parties on Tuesday.
The bill seeks formation of a panel of experts to
resolve the contentious issues on state restructuring to
expedite the process of drafting of the new Constitution.
The Interim Constitution had envisioned a state
restructuring commission. However, the major parties were
divided over whether to form a committee or a commission to
decide about the new states and their structures in the new
Constitution.
With the seven-point agreement and recent breakthrough in
the peace process, the parties have agreed to expedite the
Constitution-drafting process.
PTI
