The Legislature-Parliament meeting on Tuesday is likely to form a Special Committee to finalise the Constitution Amendment Bill by incorporating the amendments registered by lawmakers.

The agenda for the meeting, however, is yet to be decided in the absence of Speaker Onsari Gharti who arrived in Kathmandu late on Monday after her two-week stay in Bangkok where her husband and UCPN (Maoist) Secretary Barsha Man Pun is undergoing medical treatment.

Considering the need to streamline the numerous amendments in the line with the demands of the agitating Madhes-based parties, the House is mulling over forming the committee. More than 100 lawmakers from 10 parties have registered 24 amendments to the first amendment bill on the Constitution of Nepal.

Bharat Raj Gautam, spokesman for the Parliament Secretariat, said they have two options—starting clause-wise discussion in Parliament or forming a committee to streamline the issues. “We are likely to go for the second option considering the number of amendments. However, the final decision will be made by the Speaker after consulting with leaders from the major political parties” he said.

The House meeting called for January 13 was postponed until Tuesday for the second time after the parties sought one more week to negotiate with the regional forces. Earlier, the meeting on January 5 was deferred till January 13.

“Tuesday’s meeting will take the amendment process a step forward,” said UCPN (Maoist) Chief Whip Hit Raj Pandey. The parties are awaiting Madhesi Morcha’s “ownership” of the amendment process, which comes only when the ongoing negotiations reach an agreement. Leaders of smaller parties say the House

proceedings will depend on how the talks with the Morcha progress. Yogendra Chaudhary, chief whip of the Madhesi Janadhikar Forum-Loktantrik, claimed that Parliament will not take any crucial decision on amendment unless the disgruntled parties own up the bill.