KATHMANDU, March 28: Lawmakers in the National Assembly meeting on Tuesday demanded action against the European Union Election Observation Mission for making comments against the constitution of the country in breach of their brief .
Speaking on the occasion, Nepali Congress (NC) leader Badri Pandey and CPN (Maoist Center) leader Ram Narayan Bidari demanded action against the observation mission .
NC's Pandey demanded that the EU's observation mission report should be revised and the recommendations that are in breach of jurisdiction should be changed.
“EU's recommendations breach its own jurisdiction and are condemnable. It is an interference to question a provision of the constitution as our constitution was promulgated by over 90 percent of the people's representatives,” said Pandey.
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He also demanded that diplomatic missions be barred from meeting chief ministers and ministers in the provinces without taking permission from the government.
“Different diplomatic missions have been meeting chief ministers and ministers against diplomatic norms. I strongly demand that such meetings should be totally banned. I want to draw the attention of the government to ensure diplomatic missions abide by the code of conduct while holding such meetings.”
He also urged diplomatic missions not to doubt the country's commitment to democracy. Stating that Nepal can amend the constitution only at the demand of its citizens, Pandey said the country never entertains any external concerns and recommendations about changes to the constitution.
He demanded that the National Assembly take initiative for national unity and the defense of the constitution.
Maoist leader Bidari also demanded that the government take appropriate action against the activities of the EU.
“Our constitution is among the world's best. It was drafted over six years and endorsed after being widely discussed in the House. If someone tries to meddle in the country in the name of election observation, that is objectionable,” he said.
Drawing the attention of the upper house to the EOM report, Bidari accused the mission of breaching its jurisdiction.
However, Brikhesh Chandra Lal of Rastriya Janta Party Nepal defended the EU's report . “They have made suggestions relating to the election process. Suggestions should be taken as feedback and not as interference,” he said. Federal Socialist Forum Nepal lawmaker Pramila Kumari also supported the EU's report.
Other members of the National Assembly including Komal Sharma Oli, Udaya Sharma Paudel, Sher Bahadur Kunwar and Bhairab Sundar Shrestha also demanded revision on the EU's report.
