Former MPs’ Forum calls for holding all three-tier elections within deadline

Kathmandu / Dec 29: The Former MPs’ Forum, Nepal has demanded that the government hold all the three tiers of elections as stipulated in the constitution.

Organising a news conference here today, the Forum called for holding elections to all the three levels as per the provision of Article 296 of the Constitution of Nepal since the term of the transformed Legislature-Parliament is only until mid-February 2018.

A press release distributed on the occasion states that all the election-related legislations should be formulated forthwith with the objective of constituting as per Article 268 of the constitution, the electoral constituencies determination commission comprising technocrats who are aloof from party politics for holding the elections.

The Forum has also drawn the attention of the government to announce the date of the elections on the basis of maximum consensus imbibing the report of the Local Bodies Restructuring Commission constituted as per Article 293 (3) of the constitution.

It urged the government to announce the election date by putting on hold the constitution amendment bill terming it as unconstitutional and as it has created a wave of confusion from the parliament to the streets leading to growing polarisation among and within the parties.

Forum president Omkr Prasad Shrestha called on the government to hold the three tiers of elections even by putting on hold the constitution amendment bill.

The Forum has also drawn the attention of Parliament Speaker Onsari Gharti, stating that the constitution amendment bill was unconstitutional. It has also filed a writ petition at the Supreme Court against the constitutionality of the bill. The Supreme Court has called both the petitioner and the defendants to be present in the court on January 1, 2017 for discussions regarding this. RSS