Task Force Engages Former Leaders and Administrators in Discussions on Constitutional Amendment
The task force established for constitutional amendment held discussions with former heads of constitutional bodies, former chief secretaries, foreign affairs experts, and former administrators. The task force emphasized advancing the constitutional amendment through national consensus and proceeding carefully with sensitive issues that will have long-term impacts. Suggestions discussed included governmental structure, federalism, electoral system, reforms of constitutional bodies, and empowering local levels. April 5, Kathmandu.
The task force, formed to prepare a discussion paper on constitutional amendment, consulted with former heads of constitutional bodies, former chief secretaries, foreign affairs experts, and former administrators. The consultation, which lasted around three hours at the Office of the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers, involved in-depth discussions on topics ranging from governmental structure to federalism, the electoral system, and constitutional bodies. The task force, chaired by the Prime Minister’s political advisor Asim Shah, clarified its commitment to advancing the constitutional amendment through national consensus.
Chairman Shah noted that the constitutional amendment meets both public expectations and current necessities, emphasizing the need for sensitive handling of issues with long-term consequences. Experts participating in the discussion offered various suggestions for improvements concerning governmental form, electoral system, federalism, the rights of provinces and local levels, independent judiciary, and the structure of constitutional bodies. Former administrators and experts such as Bimal Koirala, Umesh Mainali, Tankmani Sharma Dangal, Madhuraman Acharya, Manbahadur Bik, Yamakumari Khatiwada, Bhanu Acharya, Somlal Subedi, Jayaraj Acharya, Krishnahari Baskota, and Ganesh Josheel presented their respective views and recommendations.
Former Chief Secretary Bimal Koirala suggested implementing a mixed electoral system combining direct election and proportional representation, reducing the number of members in the National Assembly, and appointing the Vice President as the chairperson of the National Assembly. He emphasized clarifying the distribution of powers among federal, provincial, and local levels while empowering local governments further. Former civil servant Umesh Mainali highlighted that lawmakers’ desire to become ministers has negatively influenced policy-making and proposed restricting lawmakers solely to lawmaking roles while introducing directly elected executive heads.
Additionally, the task force stated that the suggestions received will be incorporated into the discussion paper, and further consultations will be conducted in the coming phases.
