The Province 2 government has formed a three-member commission to settle the long-standing issue of name and capital of the province.

A Cabinet meeting on Sunday formed the commission under Haribansha Jha, the vice-chairman of Provincial Policy Commission. The commission has given mandate to hold talks with stakeholders, collect suggestions and submit its reports within 45 days regarding name and capital of Province 2.

Minister for Internal Affairs and Law Gyanendra Kumar Yadav said the provincial government would propose the province’s name and capital based on suggestions of the commission. “The commission will soon initiate its work over the issue of name and capital of the province. The government has informed Provincial Assembly Speaker about the formation of the commission,” Yadav told the Post.

Following pressure from various quarters to name and designate capital at the earliest, the provincial government took initiatives to resolve the issue. The political parties, representing in the assembly, have divergent views over name and capital of the province. The ruling alliance of Sanghiya Samajbadi Forum-Nepal (SSF-N) and Rastriya Janata Party-Nepal (RJP-N) is in favour of naming the province Madhes. But the opposition parties in the province—Nepal Communist Party (NCP) and Nepali Congress (NC)—are pressing for Mithila-Bhojpur. Janakpur, the temporary provincial capital, and Birgunj are contesting for the capital.

As per the constitutional provision, the Provincial Assembly can name and designate capital by a two-thirds majority. The ruling Madhes-based parties do not have the required numerical strength to decide the issue. The SSF-N and RJP-N have 30 and 25 members respectively in the 107-member Provincial Assembly. The NCP and the NC have 32 and 19 seats respectively.

Only three of the seven federal units have announced their name and capital city so far. The provincial assemblies of Province 4, 6 and 7 have named the provinces as Gandaki, Karnali and Sudurpaschim respectively.

Province 3 will get name within a month: CM Poudel

CHITWAN: Province 3 Chief Minister Dormani Poudel has said the name and capital of Province 3 will be finalised within a month. Talking to reporters in Chitwan on Sunday, CM Poudel said the Province Assembly meeting would decide on the matter immediately after the Tihar festival. “The issue of name and capital of the province will be resolved soon as it has already entered the provincial assembly,” said Poudel.