Four parties agree on CJ-led election govt
KATHMANDU, FEB 17 -
The ruling and opposition parties on Saturday agreed in principle to form a non-partisan government led by Chief Justice (CJ) Khil Raj Regmi for holding fresh Constituent Assembly elections in May.
Top leaders of the UCPN (Maoist), Nepali Congress, CPN-UML and the Samyukta Loktantrik Madhesi Morcha, struck agreement to this effect during talks held at the President’s Office at Sheetal Niwas.
This understanding will, however, only come into effect once a package deal is signed by the parties to ensure elections within May.
The top leaders have formed an eight-member taskforce to propose a package deal, including the structure of the new executive body, date and process of elections and amendment of the constitution. The taskforce comprises Krishna Bahadur Mahara and Khimlal Devkota from the UCPN (Maoist), Bimalendra Nidhi and Minendra Rijal from the Nepali Congress, Bhim Rawal and Agni Kharel from the CPN-UML and Hridayesh Tripathi and Jitendra Dev from the Madhesi Morcha.
The committee will also discuss the legal and constitutional aspects before recommending the package deal in the next meeting of the top leaders scheduled for 2 pm on Sunday. Leaders claimed that the deal would be sealed on Sunday and that a meeting of all the parties represented in the dissolved CA would endorse it on Monday morning.
A senior NC negotiator said the understanding between the top leaders was not publicised on Saturday in a bid to take the chief justice on board in their decision. The top leaders are likely to meet Regmi and request him to accept the responsibility of heading the election government on Sunday, according to the negotiator.
Saturday’s decision of the major parties follow the UML’s decision to be open to any alternative to ensure the exit of the Bhattarai-led government. Cross-party discussions could not make headway on Thursday and Friday as leaders awaiting a formal decision from the UML.
Prime Minister Baburam Bhattarai posted a message on Twitter, expressing satisfaction on the progress in the cross-party dialogue. “Finally, talks between major parties are moving towards the formation of an election government under the leadership of the chief justice,” Bhattarai tweeted on Saturday night. “If we strike an agreement soon, we can hold elections within the third week of Jestha (June 4).”
Bhattarai argued that the principle of separation of powers will not be compromised upon by giving the CJ an executive role. He said there will be another acting CJ to oversee the judiciary until Regmi returns to his original post after holding the elections.
The NC negotiator echoed the PM’s views, saying that the CJ will not take sides as he has to return to the top judicial post, thus lending ‘neutrally and impartially’ to the elections. He said parties have also reached an understanding to form a high-level political mechanism to facilitate the CJ-led mechanism to hold the elections. The taskforce formed on Saturday will make a final decision among the proposed names of the mechanism—advisory council, central chief administrator or head of the election council—and will also suggest a smaller sized Cabinet that would consist of retired bureaucrats and judges.
The CJ-led mechanism will only have the power to look after the day-to-day administration and take decisions on issues related to elections.
Meanwhile, there are differences between the Maoist and non-Maoist parties on whether the truth and reconciliation ordinance should be a part of the package deal. UCPN (Maoist) leaders, mainly PM Bhattarai, wants the TRC to be included in the deal, while NC and UML negotiators said they are not ready to take a call on ‘such a serious matter in haste, given the concerns of the international community.’
A PM’s aide said Bhattarai will only resign after the package deal is finalised. The PM also wants the parties to recommend the President to remove constitutional hurdles and pave way for the formation of an election government through his Cabinet. Earlier, the UML announced its official position on the election government and said that the party will support plans to hold CA elections by May-end by keeping intact the 240 constituencies of the 2008 elections.
“Our party is still firm on forming a party-led government. But we are ready to go for any other alternatives, reaffirming our commitment to the basic principles of democracy, constitutional supremacy, independent judiciary, separation of powers and party system and considering the necessity of political consensus,” a proposal released after the party’s Central Committee meeting said.
Source: The Kathmandu Post
