Nepal’s Constituent Assembly (CA) on Wednesday deliberated the public feedback received on the first draft of the country’s new Constitution, but Madhes-based parties boycotted the meeting, saying their concerns have not been addressed by the major political parties.
The CA members deliberated on the report tabled by Committee on Citizen Relation and Public Opinion Collection.
Committee Chair Pramila Rana tabled the report, a compilation of feedbacks provided by the people on the constitution draft during interactions held in 240 electoral constituencies, and via the Internet and direct mail.
Speaking in the meeting, Nepal Students’ Union chairman and lawmaker Ranjit Karna urged to nullify the 16-point pact reached among the major parties as it also breached the Supreme Court decision of not to promulgate the constitution, without deciding demarcating and naming the federal units.
He pointed out that it has failed to address the issues of the Madhesi people, women and other marginalised groups.
Karna complained that two billion rupees has been spent in the name of soliciting public feedback and also claimed that the locals were prohibited from giving feedbacks in some parts of Parsa district.
later, the Terai Madhesh Democratic Party, Sadbhawana Party, Federal Socialist Forum, Nepal and Terai Madhesh Sadbhawana party boycotted the meeting saying that their issues were not addressed by the major political parties.