Constitution will be amended with consensus: Nepal HM 

Lekhak highlighted that amending the Constitution is vital for strengthening Nepal’s federal democratic republic….reports Asian Lite News

Nepal’s Minister for Home Affairs, Ramesh Lekhak, emphasised the importance of building a consensus among all political parties to amend the Constitution, according to a report by The Himalayan Times. 

Speaking at a press meet on Sunday, Lekhak highlighted that amending the Constitution is vital for strengthening Nepal’s federal democratic republic. 

He noted that preliminary discussions on the issue have already begun but clarified that the amendment process will not be dictated by just two political parties. 

Lekhak acknowledged that the Nepali Congress (NC) and the Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist-Leninist) (CPN-UML)—the two largest parties in Parliament—joined forces to form the current coalition government with the aim of fostering political stability, combating corruption, promoting good governance, and accelerating economic and developmental activities. 

He assured that the alliance between the NC and CPN-UML is stable and will continue until the next general election. 

Addressing the recent arrest of opposition leader Rabi Lamichhane, the Home Minister stressed that the government is committed to upholding human rights and dismissed allegations of political vendetta against Lamichhane, leader of the Rastriya Swatantra Party. He asserted that the ongoing investigation is strictly a legal matter. 

Separately, Nepali Congress spokesperson Prakash Sharan Mahat advised the government to exercise caution when accepting foreign loans, urging that such borrowing should be strictly need-based. 

Mahat pointed out that repaying loans taken during the COVID-19 pandemic has posed significant challenges for the nation. 

Nepal continues to grapple with political instability, having witnessed 14 different governments in the 16 years since adopting the Republican system. 

The current coalition government, led by Prime Minister K P Sharma Oli, took office in July after Oli, leader of Nepal’s largest communist party, was appointed by President Ram Chandra Paudel. 

Oli succeeded Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda,’ who lost a vote of confidence in Parliament, prompting the formation of the new coalition government. 

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