Four political parties of the five-party ruling alliance on Wednesday condemned President Bidya Devi Bhandari’s act of refusing to authenticate the bill to amend the Citizenship Act-2006.

The alliance in a statement said that the president attacked the constitutional provision of the duty to follow and protect the constitution by refusing to authenticate the citizenship bill, which was endorsed by both Houses as envisioned in the constitution.

The statement undersigned by leaders of four political parties—Nepali Congress, CPN (Maoist Centre), CPN (Unified Socialist) and Janata Samajbadi Party—was issued following a meeting on Wednesday.

“The President has breached her constitutional right by not endorsing the citizenship bill, which was meant to be endorsed within the 15 days after both the houses sent the bill to the president for authentication,” reads the statement by the ruling alliance.

Rastriya Janamorcha was the only party of the alliance that skipped the meeting.

Himlal Puri of Rastriya Janamorcha told the Post that the party’s position on the bill to amend the Citizenship Act is clear, stating that the bill was against national interest.

“Our party views the bill as being against national interest,” said Puri. “Having said that, our party also does not endorse what the president has done.”

The alliance in its statement said that the president, by refusing to authenticate the Citizenship Bill, grossly insulted and undermined the federal parliament that was elected by the people.

The meeting of the alliance also concluded that the president’s move has deprived citizenship rights to the children of those who have acquired citizenship by birth.

“On the other hand, the move has seriously attacked the fundamental principles of constitutional supremacy and democratic governance along with the sovereignty vested in the people by the constitution,” reads the statement.

Stating the act of the President’s move as unconstitutional the five-ruling alliance has urged people from different walks of life including political parties, civil society, intellectual community, and media among others to remain vigilant against the president’s move and stand in favour of the democratic federal republic system.