Constitution-drafting process begins, at last

KATHMANDU, Nov 16 - A new constitution for the Federal Republic Nepal will be introduced by May 28 2010 if everything goes as planned.The working schedule passed by the Constituent Assembly (CA) on Sunday, which includes various procedures to be followed for the next eighteen months while roughing out the ...

As per the schedule, committees will be set up within mid-December and the thematic committees will table concept draft on all key issues by May 2009. The issues will be discussed at the CA.

The suggestions floated by the CA will be discussed at the Constitutional Committee (CC). The CA chairman will verify the statute draft endorsed by the CA which will be formally passed, and again the draft prepared by the committee will be tabled at the CA meeting for further discussion.

Programmes have also been scheduled to take the matters amongst people and discuss on the same.

Thereafter, the CC will give final shape of the first draft from September 17 to 30 and make it public"inviting all people to give their inputs. The Public Opinion Collection and Coordination Committee (POCCC) will hold public hearings, seminars and interactions across the country for the next 11 weeks (October 1 to December 15, 2009). A report on the suggestions will be subsequently prepared and forwarded to the CA by January 14, 2010. The CA will then discuss this report for two weeks and send it to the CC.

The CA chairman will verify the constitution endorsed by the CA.

Finally, on May 28, the CA Chairman will hand it over to President Dr. Ram Baran Yadav amid a formal national function where he will declare the promulgation of the constitution of the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal.

The process will be formalised once the Constituent Assembly (CA) meeting scheduled for later today endorses the calendar of events for the same.

A meeting of the CA Working Consultation Committee held this afternoon passed the calendar of events, according to which a new constitution will be promulgated next year.

As per the calendar of events, the CA vice chairman will be appointed by November 30.