CA regulation draft finalised

KATHMANDU, Nov 10 - A meeting of the Rules and Regulations Drafting Committee (RRDC) at the Constituent Assembly (CA) on Sunday finalised the draft of rules and regulations to conduct regular business of the CA. The committee members will sign on the draft and send it to the CA for ...

Political parties represented in the CA, which were divided on whether to ensure vote of conscience for individual members, finally sorted out the differences by agreeing to remain silent on the issue.

"The final draft is silent on whether to respect or discard the vote of conscience of each individual CA member," said UML CA member Agni Kharel. Though the draft has no provision for party whip, the concerned political party will be able to maintain party discipline, he added.

Nepali Congress Chief Whip Laxman Prasad Ghimire also dubbed the draft provision as "the middle road" to resolve differences over the whip issue. "But statutes of concerned political parties and a bill related to political parties, which is expected to be introduced in the near future, will govern party members," he added.

The 28th meeting of RRDC also approved 14 committees dividing them into 3 categories -- the Constitutional Committee (CC), 10 thematic committees and three procedural committees -- to regulate CA business.

According to an official at the Parliamentary Secretariat, the draft has proposed to constitute a 61-member CC, the main committee that finalises the draft of the constitution and the thematic and procedural committees will have 43 members each, ensuring representation of all 25 political parties in the CA.

Ten different thematic committees will draft concept papers to be incorporated in the new constitution by remaining within specified jurisdictions.

For instance, the Committee for Fundamental Rights and Directive Principles of State Policy will draft concept papers related to rights to freedom, equality, education and properties, whereas the Committee for State Restructuring and Power Devolution will draft a concept paper on state restructuring.

The Committee for the Outline of Legislative Organs of the State will work out legislative structures to be adopted in the provinces and at the centre, whereas the Committee for Outlining the Governance Structure of the State will develop a concept for possible governance system to be adopted at the centre and provinces. The Committee for Protection of National Interest will look after overall national interest and formulate defense and foreign policies.

The thematic committees will directly table their concept papers for further discussion at the CA, where members will be able to comment on the proposed concept papers before sending them to the CC.

The CC will then compile all the concept papers into a draft constitution and table it at the CA for discussions. The CA will then endorse the draft and make it public through the gazette inviting all Nepalis to give their inputs.