Constitutional bodies to report to Parliament

KATHMANDU, SEP 28 - The Political Dialogue and Consensus Committee of the Constituent Assembly on Saturday agreed on a provision in the new constitution that brings all the constitutional commissions under the scrutiny of Parliament.

The Public Service Commission, Election Commission, Commission for Investigation of Abuse of Authority, National Human Rights Commission, National Information Commission, National Women Commission and National Dalit Commission will come under the purview of parliament if the CA endorses the PDCC proposal.

As per an understanding at the Dialogue Committee, the women and Dalit commissions will get constitutional status in the new set-up.

The PDCC decisions were guided by the principle that all the commissions should be under the sovereign Parliament. The centre and provincial parliaments will monitor commissions in their realm. At present, commissions are loyal to the constitution, not parliament. In the new arrangement, the activities and works of the constitutional bodies are monitored by Parliament.

Political parties are still undecided over the modality of fiscal and natural resource commissions that they have agreed to form. Their structures would be decided only after an agreement on the federal structure. Lawmakers have also demanded Muslim, Janajati, Madhesi and peasants’ commissions.

Though the PDCC discussed other issues, disagreements persist. On the right to property, the ruling Nepali Congress and CPN-UML said compensation should be provided if property above the ceiling is nationalised.

Lawmakers from the opposition UCPN (Maoist) said it is not necessary to provide compensation for excess land as all land belongs to the country.

Parties’ failure to sort key issues such as federalism, forms of governance and electoral system has created obstacles to resolve other disputes. PDCC Chairman Baburam Bhattarai said discussions on key issues will start on Sunday.

The second deadline provided by the CA for the Dialogue Committee to settle contentious issues expires on Tuesday but there have not been substantial outcomes.