Constitutional crisis in Nepal

Nepal seems headed for a constitutional crisis with political parties failing to reach a consensus, with just few hours remaining for expiry of Saturday midnight’s deadline to give the nation a new statute. Utpal Parashar reports.

Updated on: May 29, 2011, 03:07:33 IST

Hindustan Times | By Utpal Parashar, Kathmandu

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Nepal seems headed for a constitutional crisis with political parties failing to reach a consensus, with just few hours remaining for expiry of Saturday midnight’s deadline to give the nation a new statute.

Several rounds of talks between leaders of ruling Maoists and Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist Leninist) and opposition Nepali Congress failed to yield any outcome till late evening.

The tenure of the Constituent Assembly needs to be extended another time by amending the interim constitution to give lawmakers more time to draft the constitution and complete the peace process.

Nepali Congress is insisting on Maoists surrendering their arms before agreeing to extend CA tenure while the later is refusing to give up control of its arms immediately.

A last minute solution is still likely as talks enter a decisive phase. Security around the CA building and other sensitive areas in Kathmandu have been beefed up in order to thwart any untoward incident.

Earlier in the day Prime Minister Jhalanath Khanal met President Ram Baran Yadav and discussed the possibility of imposing emergency if the CA tenure is not extended by consensus.

Nepal’s interim constitution states that the CA tenure can be extended by a simple majority in case of a state of emergency. Else it will require support of two-third members of the 601-member house to amend the interim constitution and extend the deadline.

Saturday’s situation is similar to May 28 last year when lawmakers struck a last minute deal and agreed to extend the CA tenure by a year.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Utpal Parashar
A seasoned senior journalist, I have nearly three decades of experience across print, digital, and online platforms, covering political transitions, insurgencies, environmental issues, and development stories in India and Nepal. I am skilled in breaking news, leading editorial teams and launch of newspaper editions. I am adept at leveraging digital trends and social media to expand global reach, with a strong ethical foundation and a reputation for impactful journalism. An alumnus of Asian College of Journalism, I joined Hindustan Times in New Delhi as a trainee reporter in May 1997. Over the years, I have been posted in Dehradun, Kathmandu (Nepal) and Guwahati. Currently, as Senior Assistant Editor at Hindustan Times, I lead a team reporting on India’s northeastern states. My work involves in-depth analysis, and engaging multimedia storytelling across formats, including text, photo, video, and interactive content. I am skilled in producing timely, shareable content, leveraging digital platforms and social media to engage global audiences. Throughout my career with the Hindustan Times, I have led diverse editorial teams, designed capacity-building activities, and supported reporters in developing strong story ideas, ethical reporting practices, digital skills, and fact-checking techniques. As Senior Assistant Editor for Northeast India, I have been responsible for guiding correspondents through complex political, humanitarian, and community-level stories using multimedia formats. Earlier, as Foreign Correspondent in Nepal, I produced extensive reporting during Nepal’s democratic transition and the 2015 earthquake and its aftermath.Read More

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