Nepal's parties resume negotiations on key issues of new constitution

Nepal's major parties, which were involved in the dispute over constitution drafting, have resumed negotiations on the key contentious issues of new constitution, cross-party leaders said on Sunday.

After taking a break for 18th South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation(Saarc) Summit, the parties have started cross- party negotiations to salvage the constitution drafting process which has already faced repeated setback due to the failure of meeting the deadlines set by rules of procedures.

Party leaders say if there is agreement on contents, the disputes over process would be automatically resolved so there should be concentration on settling federalism, forms of government, judiciary and electoral system, the key disputed issues of new constitution.

On Sunday, parties agreed to intensify informal negotiations at the top level of major parties, saying that open and big meetings are not helpful to find a solution.

With that consensus, the parties have decided to put off the meeting of Political Dialogue and Consensus Committee (PDCC), a crucial constitution drafting body, for another three days.

It is the responsibility of PDCC to sort the contentious issues and present its report to full House Constituent Assembly (CA). But PDCC is helpless as parties are sharply divided on process and contents of new constitution.

Last week, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi told Nepali politicians to draft a new constitution on the basis of consensus not on the basis of majority throwing cold water to ruling parties plan to draft a new constitution on the basis of their two- third majority in 601-member House.

India is supposed to have an influence in Nepal's internal political situation. Ruling parties are not happy with Modi's statement, while opposition parties are encouraged by the statement.

"The meeting of PDCC has been put off for a couple of days after top leaders sought more days saying that they would try to settle the contentious issues of new constitution," said PDCC Chairman Baburam Bhattarai after the cross-party meeting.

After the Saarc Summit, parties began negotiations from Saturday but there are not grounds for the agreement till date. " Parties remain firm in their respective position but we will try to settle the contentious issues," said Nepali Congress Vice- President Ram Chandra Poudel.