Madhesis reject constitutional amendment
Nepal's Madhesi community rejected the constitutional amendment passed by the Parliament to resolve the ongoing political crisis. The Madhesi community leaders said the constitutional amendments were incomplete. The amendments accepted demands of Madhesi leaders seeking proportionate representation to the minority community and allocating seats in the Parliament based on poulation. However, the key demand to re-draw federal boundaries was not acknowledged in the amendments.
Nepal's political parties have decided to withdraw the word "secularism" from its new constitution. Nepal was established a secular country in 2007 after Nepal ended the monarchy. The political parties were obliged to take the decision after millions of people, in their recommendations and feedback on the new constitution, demanded the extraction of the word "secularism".
Even though the word 'secularism' was removed from the constitution, Nepal's constituent assembly rebuffed demands to revert Nepal "back to a Hindu state" sparking violent protests.
Gay right activists in Nepal pressed their need for "gay rights to be enshrined in the constitution." Another major group opposing were the women right workers who were protesting against Nepal not giving citizenship to those whose mothers are from Nepal. Moreover, protests came from the Christian factions which fear that the removal of 'secularism' will endanger their religious identity.
Nepal reached the final point of proclaiming of its new constitution. The clause-wise voting on the final draft of the statute was carried out by the leading 3 parties, notwithstanding a strike by Madhesi parties and protests that killed 40 people. Prime Minister Sushil Koirala of the Nepali Congress said that the new constitution would be federal, republic, and democratic.
Nepal's Constituent Assembly ratified a new constitution on 16 September 2015 after 7 years of delay because of differences among major political factions. It was supported by 507 of 601 legislators in the assembly. However, many members from diminutive parties boycotted the vote. Nepal's new constitution will be formally put into force by President Ram Baran Yadav on 20 September 2015.
Nepal's constitution faces the most contentious issues surrounding the charter regarding the objection of drawing of 7 states. Madhesi and Tharu people and their political leaders contend that would dilute their voice because of the way the provinces have been drawn. A lot of violence (killing almost 40 people) and protests in southern and western areas of Nepal broke out related to the document.
After seven years of drafting, Nepal ultimately embraced the constitution on 20 September 2015, between warnings of disturbance from political and ethnic groups that are opposed to the constitution. President Ram Baran Yadav signed the constitution between applause by members of the Constituent Assembly in Kathmandu. He also made the proclamation of the constitution's announcement. With this, the interim constitution will get annulled.
The new Nepal constitution has "37 divisions, 304 articles and 7 annexes" and till another country frames a constitution, Nepal's will be the youngest constitution.
Nepal's parliament voted to amend the country's new constitution after its promulgation four months ago. Three articles of the Constitution, Article 42, Article 84 and Article 286 were amended to accommodate the 11 point charter of demands by Nepal's Madhesi community. Two-thirds majority of the 601-member parliament endorsed the bill, with 468 lawmakers voting in favour of the amendment while 7 voted against it.
