After the UCPN (M) submitted the keys of the arms containers to the monitoring committee of the AISC, the process of drafting of the constitution moved ahead. The issue of state restructuring that has remained one of the most contentious issues in the Constituent Assembly was discussed upon in the sub-committee of the Constitutional Committee formed to resolve disputes. After the UCPN (M) and UML joined Tarai-centred parties in stressing the need to form an experts group as there was insufficient time, Nepali Congress came under additional pressure.

In the meeting of the sub-committee to resolve disputes, Nepali Congress appeared positive regarding the formation of an experts group. They committed that “they will present their views on state restructuring after discussion in the central working committee”. Subsequently, in the September 5 meeting of the central working committee, many leaders suggested amending the Interim Constitution to form an experts group. In the meantime, there was no further progress on the peace process. Nepali Congress leaders accused the UCPN (M) of not being interested in taking the peace process forward even after submitting the keys of the arms containers.

In the Nepali Congress central working committee meeting, its leaders cautioned the leadership that taking the constitution-drafting process forward without any progress on the peace process might lead to problems later on. The Nepali Congress and UML expressed doubts on the peace process in a joint meeting. Nepali Congress and UML leaders agreed on “not taking the constitution-drafting process forward unless there is also progress on the peace process”.
“Though the Nepali Congress is ready to discuss alternative mechanisms in the present context; however, it concludes that it is appropriate to form the experts group only after there is consensus and concrete evidence of work on the main issues of the peace process like modality, standards, numbers of the combatant integration; compensation package; relief and compensation to the conflict-affected”, was the conclusion of the Nepali Congress Central Committee meeting of the September 8th.

The day after the Nepali Congress passed the proposal to form an experts group, the sub-committee to resolve the disputes was about to meet. Before the meeting started, Congress vice-president Ram Chandra Paudel started distributing his party’s decision to other party leaders. The coordinator of the sub-committee Pushpa Kamal Dahal expressed outrage at the decision and style of the Nepali Congress and its leaders. The meeting could not take place after Dahal asked for dissolution of the sub-committee saying that there can be no consensus with conditions attached in the meeting, which led to the postponement of the meeting. The constitution-drafting process came to a sudden halt after the Nepali Congress and UML put conditions saying that the UCPN (M) was not taking the peace process forward.

Major Developments