Amnesty International has urged Nepal government to ensure public participation in law and public policy-making processes.

This plea comes amid mounting criticism against the government and federal parliament for drafting and endorsing fundamental rights laws related without in-depth deliberations.

In a press statement released on Friday, the international human rights organisation said lack of preparation by Nepal government to draft laws on fundamental rights was responsible endorsing them in haste.

The rights body urged implementing human rights and other constitutional provisions effectively.

To reduce the endorsement process, both the Houses of the federal parliament suspended their regulations and beat the constitutional deadline.

The Constitution of Nepal mandated 17 new Acts to implement 31 different fundamental rights by September 18, before the third anniversary of promulgation of the statute.

“The government failed to act on time to formulate the draft laws in meaningful consultation with the relevant stakeholders to allow effective parliamentary scrutiny and deliberations,” read the Amnesty statement.

“Broad-based consultation with people in formulating and enacting laws and public policy is a requirement recognized by international standards, including in the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights to which Nepal is a state party.”

Amnesty has urged the government to appoint promptly officials of the National Women, National Dalit, National Inclusion, Indigenous Nationalities, Madhesi, Tharu Commission and Muslim Commissions as per the statute.

It says the government has to adopt an open, consultative and transparent process to appoint commissioners from the pool of candidates, giving priority to those with integrity and capability to carry out the commission’s mandate.

Amnesty has urged amending National Human Rights Commission Act to enable the constitutional human rights watchdog to function effectively under the federal system of governance.