Kathmandu Post

Top Stories»

Statute writing: Parties differ over governance forms

KATHMANDU, JAN 02 -
The major political parties remain at odds over the forms of governance raising doubts that they will once again fail to meet the constitution-making calendar endorsed by the Constituent Assembly (CA) last month.

The UCPN (Maoist) and the Nepali Congress agree that the new constitution should endorse a ‘mixed model’ but are divided over the separation of powers between the president and the prime minister.

The Constitutional Committee has two more days to find a meeting point on the issue. The Maoists have been proposing that there should be a directly elected president who will share executive powers with the prime minister elected by the parliament. The NC has recommended electing a ‘constitutional president’ by Electoral Colleges and providing executive powers to the prime minister elected by the parliament.

During the three-party talks held at the Ministry of Peace and Reconstruction on Monday evening, NC sought extension of the deadline, arguing that the forms of governance should not be decided through a majority vote. The party also floated a new proposal suggesting that an Electoral College, like in the US, can be formed comprising members of the federal and provincial legislature and representatives of local bodies to elect the president. The Electoral College consists of the electors appointed by each state, which formally elect the president and the vice president of the US. The candidate who wins the popular vote in a state wins all the pledged votes of the state’s electors.

The three major parties—the Maoists, the Nepali Congress and the CPN-UML—were busy in joint and intra-party talks throughout Monday but could not find a meeting point. The CA has to decide the issue through a majority vote, according to its new schedule, if the parties fail to find a meeting point by Thursday evening.

 “The form of governance is an issue with long-term impact. The executive powers should rest on the prime minister who is accountable to the parliament,” said NC leader Ram Sharan Mahat. “We should not take any decision in haste. We should first forge consensus over the modality before taking it to the Constituent Assembly for decision,” he added.

Earlier, a taskforce formed by the Dispute Resolution Subcommittee led by Maoist Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal had proposed a ‘mixed model’ with sharing of powers between the directly elected president and the prime minister elected by the House. The taskforce had prepared a list regarding the jurisdiction of the president and the prime minister, and stressed that crucial issues like foreign policy and mobilisation of the Nepal Army should be undertaken after coordination between the Cabinet and the President.

“Our discussion is based on recommendations of the taskforce. We are yet to arrive at any conclusion,” said Deputy Prime Minister and Maoist leader Narayan Kaji Shrestha. The Dahal-led subcommittee will hold further talks on Tuesday to find a meeting point, according to him. NC’s proposal calling for a parliament elected executive prime minister will be at minority if the issue is referred to the CA for voting. The Maoists and the UML are closer on endorsing a mixed model with a directly elected executive in the new constitution. “We have requested the NC and the Maoists not to backtrack from the recommendation of the taskforce,” said UML leader Surendra Pandey. 

NC leaders have held informal talks with CA Chairman Subas Nembang demanding revision of the constitution-making calendar, citing lack of progress in the peace process including the dismantling of cantonments and return of the seized properties.

CA Chairman Nembang is firm that the outstanding issues should be resolved as per the new schedule. “The calendar is proposed by the parties themselves. I believe that the parties will not make any compromises in implementing it,” he said on Monday.

Posted on: 2012-01-03 08:52

---