CA fate hangs in balance as Big 3 fail to reach consensus

KATHMANDU: A meeting of the three major political parties —UCPN-Maoist, CPN-UML and Nepali Congress, expected to finalise the differences over the extension of the Constituent Assembly term, ended inconclusively on Friday as the leaders said that they would decide on the issue after studying the Supreme Court’s verdict.

The Supreme Court (SC) today had ruled that the term of Constituent Assembly (CA) can be extended for the last time through the eleventh amendment of the Interim Constitution. Giving its verdict, it further said that the extension this time would be the last one. If the constitution was not drafted by the extended tenure this time, it would be dissolved automatically followed by a fresh election or referendum.

Today’s meeting that was held at the Ministry of Peace and Reconstruction in Singha Durbar could not decide on the CA fate after the leaders demanded more time to analyse the SC’s verdict thoroughly. The top brass, however, would meet on Sunday again to discuss on the issue.

The ruling UCPN-Maoist has been pushing for a six-month extension of the CA and urging other parties to forge consensus to convert the incumbent Prime Minister Dr Baburam Bhattarai-led government into a national consensus government.

However, opposition parties UML and NC have been saying that the extension of the CA term depends on the progress made in the peace process and implementation of the seven-point agreement signed among the parties earlier on November 1.THT ONLINE