Nepal constitution drafting deadline pushed by 3 months

With just five days remaining for expiry of time limit to draft a new constitution, major parties in Nepal on Tuesday agreed to extend the constituent assembly's tenure by another three months.

Updated on: May 23, 2012, 24:20:09 IST

Hindustan Times | By Utpal Parashar, Kathmandu

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With just five days remaining for expiry of time limit to draft a new constitution, major parties in Nepal on Tuesday agreed to extend the constituent assembly's tenure by another three months.

The decision was taken at a meeting of Maoists, Nepali Congress, Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist Leninist) and the conglomeration of Madhesi parties at Prime Minister Baburam Bhattarai's official residence.

Nepal's constitution writing deadline expires on May 27 and there is no consensus among parties on several crucial issues - like ways to restructure the country into federal units.

"We will try and arrive at a consensus on all issues within the deadline, but if we fail to do that, we will need more time to draft the constitution. Hence the decision was taken," said Maoist vice-chairman Narayan Kaji Shrestha.

The decision was later endorsed by the cabinet and a bill to amend the interim constitution to extend the deadline was registered with the constituent assembly secretariat.

"Efforts are still on to complete the task on time. But to ensure that there is no constitutional crisis if the deadline is not met, we agreed to the extension proposal," said Nepali Congress leader Bimalendra Nidhi.

Nepal's constituent assembly was created in 2008 with a two-year deadline to formulate a new statute. But the task has remained incomplete due to power struggles and differences among parties.

Till date there have been four extensions of the deadline.

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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