Kathmandu: A high-level multi-party
task force formed to settle differences related to the
Constitution-drafting process in Nepal has reached a broader
understanding to accommodate diverse political ideologies in
the document.
Leaders of major political parties, which are part of the
task force, agreed to expedite the process of drafting the new
Constitution during a meeting here.
Maoist Chairman Prachanda, who is also the coordinator of
the task force, told reporters after the meeting that the
12-point understanding reached in the past among the parties
would be the basis for setting fundamental principles of the
new Constitution, along with the interim Constitution and
Comprehensive Peace Accord.
He said the task force would systematically discuss
forms of governance from October 19 so as to narrow down the
differences among parties on the key issues by October 24.
The Constituent Assembly has fixed a revised deadline of
May 2011 to complete the drafting of the new Constitution.
The meeting was attended by Nepali Congress leader
Ramchandra Poudyal, CPN-UML President Jhalanath Khanal and
deputy Prime Minister Bijaya Gachhadar among others.
It decided to look into a list of 225 disputes that have
surfaced in the process of drafting the new Constitution.
The agreement reached during the meeting is being seen by
the observers as positive at a time when there are growing
differences between the Maoists and other parties on key
issues.
While the non-Maoist parties accuse the former rebels of
trying to impose provisions that would prohibit pluralism and
pave the way for imposing one-party dictatorship, the Maoists
allege that other parties are attempting to maintain the
status quo.
PTI
