Statute writing: Parties in no hurry for CA vote

KATHMANDU, OCT 24 - Major parties have reached an understanding not to initiate the voting process for settling contentious issues of constitution-writing though the Constituent Assembly has imposed a November 1 deadline for the parties to reach an understanding on the disputes.
Interlocutors said the parties will make efforts to settle outstanding issues in consensus at least for another one and a half months. Meetings of the three parties on Tuesday and Wednesday decided to spend more time for thrashing out the issues.
The CA on Tuesday gave its Political Dialogue and Consensus Committee 10 more days to settle the disputed agendas including federalism and forms of government.
Though some Nepali Congress and CPN-UML leaders are insisting on voting if consensus remains elusive in the given time frame, top leaders are said to be against the process arguing that it makes constitution-writing more complicated.
A two-day Gokarna Resort meeting of the three parties made no headway in resolving the disputes. Parties are set to start the second-phase dialogue after Tihar but people are not much hopeful about consensus.
Leaders say they will hold consultations with concerned stakeholders on the contents of the new constitution. On the electoral system, parties are planning to hold consultations with the Election Commission, while they want to consult Supreme Court judges on the need for the constitutional court.
On federalism, major parties are planning to talks with Madhes-based parties and other Janajati consistencies. The major parties are planning to ask for more time for consensus. Even NC and UML leaders said voting would be the last resort and that it is not yet necessary to use that option.
Senior CPN-UML leader Madhav Kumar Nepal said the new constitution is achievable if the UCPN (Maoist) gives up its ethnic demands. He urged both the NC and the Maoists to be responsible for promulgating the new national charter. NC leader Krishna Prasad Sitaula said consensus efforts will continue.