PM hands over SRC report to Speaker
- Feb 12 new dispute resolution deadline
Prime Minister Baburam Bhattarai handed over the report of the State Restructuring Commission (SRC) to Constituent Assembly Chairman Subas Nembang on Thursday. Amid growing criticisms from different quarters, including the opposition parties, that the SRC, which came up with two conflicting reports, had failed to offer a solution to the tricky issue of state structuring, Bhattarai said the report was merely a recommendation and the CA would take a final call on the issue.
The CA will now debate on the recommendation of the commission and take a final call on the federal set-up to be enshrined in the new constitution. The report submission to the CA chairman comes two days after the SRC submitted its report to the prime minister.
The disputed report, passed by a majority of the commission, has recommended 11 states drawn along ethnic lines and is divided on key issues such as priority rights, right to self-determinism and residual rights, among others, to be provisioned in the federal set-up. The minority faction has suggested six north-south provinces.
Addressing the hand-over ceremony, Prime Minister Bhattarai said the dissenting opinion was ‘normal’ in a multi-party democracy. “The commission submitted its report within the given time and its suggestions are crucial for the constitution writing process,” he said. “There is not much to be concerned over the majority or the minority. The report is only a recommendation. The Constituent Assembly will take a final call on state restructuring.”
CA Chairman Nembang expressed commitment that he would soon present the report to the Constituent Assembly for discussion. The CA session is likely to convene on Sunday to amend the parliamentary rules of procedures to incorporate provisions for forwarding the report to the CA.
Non-Maoist parties have been arguing that the report, after a debate in the CA, should be referred to the Constitutional Committee for consensus. They argue that the Dispute Resolution Subcommittee comprised of top leaders of major parties can resolve contentious issues.
Hardliners within the Maoist party have been stressing that Nembang refer the report to the CA Committee on Restructuring of the State and Devolution of State Powers. They argue that the issue should be dealt with by the CA only after the thematic committee examines the recommendations of the commission.
Nembang has instructed the subcommittee formed to draft an amendment to the rules of procedures to arrive at a conclusion by Sunday. The work of the subcommittee was affected after the death of the father of its coordinator Ek Raj Bhandari this week.
The CA on Thursday appointed Maoist lawmaker Amrita Thapa, in place of Bhandari, to take the amendment work forward. The subcommittee resumed discussion and has appointed Thapa as its new coordinator.
Meanwhile, the CA session has revised its calendar and extended the deadline for the resolution of all contentious issues including state restructuring to February 12. Issues that cannot be resolved within the new deadline will be put to a vote in the CA to be decided by its majority from February 13 to 17, according to the revised schedule.
The Constitutional Committee will prepare the first draft of the new law of the land between February 18 and February 26, the revised calendar states.
PM stance
Report merely recommendation
CA to have final say over state restructuring
Posted on: 2012-02-03 08:36
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All of them discussed the issue. The result was the same...and we have committed to continue discussions on the issue till midnight.
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