KATHMANDU, Aug 7: The United Democratic Madhesi Front (UDMF) that was in protest against the constitution has proposed to amend 34 Articles of the constitution.
The UDMF has proposed to amend the constitution to implement the three-point deal reached between Nepali Congress (NC)-CPN (Maoist Center) and UDMF.
The ruling CPN (Maoist Center) is positive on amending the constitution, but NC has kept its reservation on the issue, General Secretary of Rastriya Madhes Samajwadi Party, Keshav Jha told Republica Online.
NC and CPN (Maoist Center) had reached a three-point deal with UDMF to address the demands of UDMF by amending the constitution.
UDMF has proposed to amend 34 Articles to address its demands. It has been expressing its disagreement over demarcation of provinces, electoral constituencies, proportional representation and judiciary among others as provisioned in the constitution.
UDMF has been demanding to create two provinces in Tarai, correct ‘discriminatory’ provision on citizenship, review of electoral constituencies, proportional representation in state mechanism and correct the issue related to judiciary.
Some 34 Articles need to be amended to address these demands.
These are UDMF’s demands
Demarcation of provinces
UDMF has been demanding to create two provinces in Tarai region. It is adamant that the hilly districts should not be merged with Tarai districts.
Citizenship
Mainly, UDMF has been objecting the provision of the constitution that bars a person with naturalized citizenship to hold key state positions. The UDMF has proposed to amend the provision is a way that it will applicable only to President and Vice-president.
Proportional representation
The UDMF has demanded to declare non-electoral constituencies by keeping the 165 constituencies under the first-past-the-post system intact. It has demanded to separate one-third quota for female candidates for both first-past-the-post and proportional representation systems.
UDMF has also proposed on selecting a minimum of two and a maximum of eight representatives from provinces to National Assembly being based on the population of the provinces.
Judiciary
UDMF has demanded to appoint Justices and judges at Supreme Court and other courts and form Judicial Council on the basis on proportional representation.
According to sources, CPN(Maoist Center) has been assuring UDMF leaders saying that the constitution can been amended even if UML, Nepal Workers and Peasants Party and Rastriya Janamorcha vote against the amendment.
UDMF gives govt 15 more days to bring amendment
But, the UDMF has been asking the CPN (Maoist Center) leaders to file the amendment proposal at the parliament only by taking UML into confidence.
