Lawyers advise for interim statute

Lawyers advised parliamentarians of the Nepali Congress (NC) to convert the 1990 Constitution into an interim one until a new statute is promulgated by the constituent assembly.

“We have advised the MPs to immediately declare this constitution as an interim constitution and amend several of its provisions that are against the roadmap of the seven-party alliance and the 12-point understanding reached with the Maoists,” said an advocate following the meeting held at NC’s Parliamentary Office .

Senior advocate Radheshyam Adhikary, former president of the Nepal Bar Association Harihar Dahal, NBA vice-president Madhav Banskota, advocates Yagyamurti Banjade, Ram Kumar Shrestha and Raju Katuwal participated in the meeting.

“The party is yet to reach any decision on the issue but we have advised them to convert the present Constitution into an interim one after peace talks with the Maoists,” Adhikary, a Member of the National Assembly, said. He, however, said that the lawyers have advised the MPs to go for an interim constitution if the Maoists want such a temporary statute.

According to another source, the NC is studying whether or not to reactivate the upper house of parliament.

Mainwhile The second meeting of the reinstated House of Representatives (HoR) today unanimously passed the proposal for going for election to a Constituent Assembly.

The motion was introduced by Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala on Friday, stating that the agenda of drawing up the new constitution was precipitated by the aspirations of the people.

However, the process for going for election to a Constituent Assembly is yet to be finalised. HoR discussed the necessity for a Constituent Assembly after Koirala called a meeting to decide the issue.