Can’t meet the deadline: CC
KATHMANDU , Feb 09 - The Constitutional Committee (CC) of the Constituent Assembly on Monday said the committee can’t meet the March 5 deadline for preparation of the first draft of the constitution under the present circumstances.
The committee was assigned to prepare the preliminary draft of the constitution based on the CA’s recommendations and directives to the 11 thematic committees that drafted the concept papers. The CC has decided to urge CA Chairman Subas Nembang to extend the deadline for preparation of the first draft of the constitution.
“As of now, we have received the concept paper of the Committee on the Distribution of Natural Resources, Financial Rights and Public Revenue. We’re yet to receive recommendations and directives from the CA on the concept papers of 10 other thematic committees,” said CC Chairman Nilambar Acharya. “In this situation, it is impossible to prepare the first draft of the constitution in the next four weeks.”
The CC was supposed to receive the concept papers of all the 11 committees with the CA’s recommendations and directives on Feb. 4, but with political parties deeply divided on crucial issues, the deadline couldn’t be met. The 15-member CA panel led by lawmaker Agni Kharel is currently finalising the concept papers by incorporating the issues raised by lawmakers during CA deliberations.
“We can speak about the timeframe for completion of the first draft after we receive all the concept papers from the CA,” Acharya said. The CA panel led by Kharel has identified disputed issues of eight thematic committees and briefed the CA chair. Nembang has repeatedly asked political parties to expedite efforts to forge consensus on issues related to the constitution.
The CA has already amended its schedule for the ninth time without changing the May 28, 2010 deadline for promulgation of the constitution. The CC’s demand will again push the constitution drafting body to amend its calendar of events. The CC meeting on Monday also formed a 10-member sub-committee to recommend on the preliminary table of contents of the constitution.
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