Parties at odds over issuing party whip

KATHMANDU, Nov 6 - Despite mounting pressure on the government to initiate the process of drafting new constitution, the political parties representing the Constituent Assembly (CA) have not reached an understanding on the CA Regulations draft.

The parties are still at odds over issuing party whip during the process of making ...

The major four parties"CPN-Maoist, Nepali Congress (NC), CPN-UML and Madhesi People’s Rights Forum (MPRF)"are still stuck to their respective stances even though they stepped up consultations in a bid to forge an agreement without mentioning about issuing party whip.

UML chief whip leader Bhim Acharya opined that it is necessary to issue on key matters.The MPRF seems flexible about the issue of whip.

However, the MPRF has stressed on the need for giving freedom to the CA members to use their conscience in course of making the new constitution.

“The CA members would be barred from exercising their freedom of expression if party whip method is adopted, so issuing whip should not be adopted,” said MPRF chief whip Ram Janam Chaudhariy.

There are still confusions over what to do if the lawmakers act against party decision and quit their party as the legislative parliament regulations and CA regulations have not mentioned anything regarding party whip.The CA Regulations, which rules the process of drafting the new constitution, has been hindered due to wrangling between the major and fringe parties over issuing party whip to their CA representatives.

The major parties in the CA are flexible over issuing whip on key constitutional issues, while the smaller parties have stuck to their stance that the CA members should be granted freedom to choose the vote of conscience in course of drfting the new constitution.