Constitution drafting committee starts work

By Bhola B Rana

Kathmandu, 5 Feb.: A constitution drafting committee chaired by Nilambar Acharya Friday morning started a month-long process to draft a constitution to formalize the declaration of a republic.
The draft will have to be approved by the 601-member constituent assembly which Thursday completed discussions on 11 subject committees that recommended principles to be incorporated in the constitution.
A constitution has to be promulgated by 28 May.
If another constitution is promulgated, it will be Nepal’s third in 20 years.
Nepal now has an interim constitution after the present rulers, who drafted the 1990 constitution threw it into the wastepaper basket in a civilian coup.
The parties treacherously toppled monarchy using King Gyanendra who was forced, mainly with Indian pressure, to reconvene parliament illegally through a ‘political decision’.
The parliament had completed its tenure.
The same body then toppled monarchy without putting it to a vote.
Demands have been made to put major issues like monarchy, Hindu state
and federalism to a referendum.
Parties have forced a republic and a secular state on the people without
a popular decision.
A constitutional culture hasn’t been developed in Nepal which on an average has had one constitution almost every 12 years.
Governments and constitutions are being thrust o the people through
street politics.
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7 dead in Chitwan bus accident

Kathmandu, 5 Feb.: Seven pilgrims dies and 15 were injured when a bus plunged into Trisuli river in Jalbire Friday morning.
An estimated 42 passengers were in the bus.
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