May 20, Kathmandu — The task force formed to prepare a discussion paper on constitutional amendment held talks with leaders of major political parties on Thursday. Asim Shah, the convener of the task force, convened the meeting at the Prime Minister’s Office, inviting leaders from various parties for discussion. During the dialogue, he emphasized that the government did not intend to amend the constitution unilaterally but sought to identify common ground through national consensus. He also highlighted the government’s serious commitment to the achievements born from past political struggles, public movements, the Madhesh movement, and the sacrifices of martyrs during the constitution’s promulgation.
Participating leaders presented their views and their parties’ positions on constitutional amendments. Dr. CK Raut, chairperson of the Janamat Party, called for amendments that would further strengthen the republic. However, he emphasized the need for substantial structural reforms. Raut stressed the necessity of having a directly elected president and a directly elected provincial chief. He also suggested that heads of constitutional bodies should be elected, the expensive election system should be revised, and that the rights to reject (‘Right to Reject’) and recall representatives (‘Right to Recall’) should be constitutionally guaranteed.
Meen Bishwakarma of the Nepali Congress expressed the view that fundamental aspects and the preamble of the constitution should remain untouched. He emphasized that core achievements such as the republic, federalism, inclusion, and national sovereignty must not be interfered with. Highlighting the large number of people’s representatives, he proposed that proportional inclusion could be balanced within the direct election system.
Krishna Bhakta Pokharel from the CPN-UML stated that the party would not accept any amendments that would undermine the fundamental pillars of the constitution. He proposed reducing the number of members in the National Assembly and assigning the vice-president as its chairperson. Additionally, he suggested limiting the number of provincial ministers to a maximum of five to seven and urged that rights other than political rights should be promptly granted to Non-Resident Nepalese.
Madhav Sapkota of the Nepal Communist Party recommended a fully proportional election system and the establishment of a directly elected executive chief. He also advocated selecting ministers based on expert knowledge and underscored the need for clear impeachment and control mechanisms to prevent the head of state from becoming arbitrary.
Former Foreign Minister Rameshnath Pandey advised undertaking an unbiased review of the strengths and weaknesses of the seven previous constitutions before charting a roadmap for long-term constitutional amendment. He cautioned against hurried decisions that could render the constitution ineffective and urged for careful, mature action. Rashwapak’s General Secretary Kabindra Burlakoti stated that the current time is suitable for constitutional amendment and called for swift progress incorporating citizens’ perspectives.
Keshav Kumar Jha of the National Liberation Party Nepal commented that Nepal’s originality, philosophy, and culture are absent in the current constitution and stressed the need for extensive revisions. Former Minister Kalpana Dhamala focused on the implementation of fundamental rights and practical arrangements for obtaining citizenship easily in the mother’s name. She further suggested that the proportional inclusive quota system should be designed to prevent repeated allocations for the same individual.
