Nepal SC summons PM, Speaker over Bill

Wants explanation for registering Constitution Bill

NEPALESE SUPREME Court Thursday summoned Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal “Prachanda” and Speaker Onsari Gharti Magar and asked them to furnish written clarifications within a week informing the rationale behind the registration of Constitution Amendment Bill to address Madhesis’ demands.

A single bench of Justice Jagadish Sharma Paudel ordered the two leaders to furnish written clarifications within a week and set December 20 as the date for next hearing on the case filed against the government move, the Himalayan Times reported.

The ruling Nepali Congress-maoist coalition government on November 29 had registered the Bill at the Parliament Secretariat in order to address demands put forth by the agitating Madhesi parties.

Following the registration, the Ex-lawmakers Forum challenged the Constitution Amendment Bill in the court, seeking a stay on the amendment process.

The Bill is aimed at carving out a new province to meet the demands of agitating Madhesis and other ethnic groups whose protests last year left over 50 people dead.

The bill proposes to address three other key issues — citizenship, representation in the Upper House and recognition of languages spoken in various parts of the country.

Madhesis, mostly Indian-origin, launched a six-month-long agitation from September last year to February this year in which more than 50 people were killed.