Amid border skirmish with India, Nepal Parliament to vote today on new map with parts of Uttarakhand

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New Delhi: The Nepal Parliament is expected to hold a special session on Saturday (June 13) to vote on a new map featuring areas of Lipulekh, Kalapani and Limpiyadhura along with border with India, notwithstanding a strong protest by New Delhi, a WION report said. "A house meeting has been scheduled for Saturday when the amendment is expected to be debated and put to vote," parliamentary official Dashrath Dhamala had earlier said.

Nepal lawmakers had recently endorsed a proposal for considering a Constitution Amendment Bill meant to validate the controversial map. The Bill seeks to validate the new map of Nepal by revising the map in the national emblem.

India, on the other hand, has been maintaining that these three areas belonged to it. "We have already made our position clear on these issues. India deeply values its civilisation, cultural and friendly relations with Nepal," Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) Anurag Srivastava had said on June 11.

Last month, India reacted angrily to Nepal showing the three areas as Nepali territory in the new map and cautioned the country that saying such 'artificial enlargement' of territorial claims will not be acceptable to it. "Our multi-faceted bilateral partnership has expanded and diversified in the recent years with increased focus and enhanced government of India”s assistance on humanitarian, development and connectivity projects in Nepal," Srivastava said at an online media briefing when asked about the issue.

Earlier this week, the Nepali Parliament unanimously endorsed a proposal to consider a constitution amendment bill to pave way for endorsing the new map.

Nepal released the revised political and administrative map of the country laying claim over the strategically key areas days after India inaugurated a strategically key road connecting the Lipulekh pass with Dharchula in Uttarakhand.

The ties between the two countries came under severe strain after Defence Minister Rajnath Singh inaugurated the 80-KM-long road on May 8.

Nepal reacted sharply to the inauguration of the road claiming that it passed through Nepalese territory. India rejected the claim asserting that the road lies completely within its territory.

In his comments on Thursday, Srivastava also spoke about how India has been reaching out to friendly neighbouring countries including Nepal in line with Prime Minister Narendra Modi”s initiative to chart out a common strategy to combat COVID-19 in the region.