Following the Supreme Court’s refusal to issue a stay order against the constitution amendment bill, the ruling Nepali Congress and CPN (Maoist Centre) have said they will table the bill in Parliament. They have also urged the main opposition, CPN-UML, to allow the parliamentary proceedings.

Welcoming the apex court ruling, Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister Bimalendra Nidhi said the UML’s stance on amendment bill had proved “insignificant” so it should not obstruct the House any more.

According to leaders involved in negotiations, the UML has urged the government to wait until the mass meeting of the opposition parties on Friday.

NC leader and Minister for Physical Infrastructure and Transport Ramesh Lekhak urged the opposition to allow deliberations on the amendment bill as well as the election-related bills.

“Now that the court has also made it clear that the House should be allowed to exercise its sovereign right, parliamentarians should be allowed to decide the fate of all the bills,” he said, adding that the ruling coalition was ready to accept any decision taken by Parliament on the amendment bill.

“We have been hearing that the opposition has what it takes to foil the amendments since a two-thirds majority is required in Parliament to pass the bill,” he said. “If that is the case, why doesn’t the UML just defeat the amendment bill in Parliament?”

Maoist Centre sources said the government would table the proposal as soon as Speaker Onasari Gharti manages time for the same.

Order supports our claim: UML

Kathmandu: The CPN-UML has said its stance on amendment bill was validated by the Supreme Court’s verdict. Subas Nembang, UML Standing Committee member and deputy leader of its Parliamentary Party, said the order has established the opposition parties’ claim that amendments related to the provincial boundaries are invalid until the state assemblies are elected.

According to him, the court has allowed the government to conduct the parliamentary process, but not alter the provincial boundaries. The main opposition has yet to decide its move in response to the court denying a stay order on constitution amendment. UML Chief Whip Bhanubhakta Dhakal said the party has to discuss within and among other parties about their next move.

The ruling has put moral pressure on the UML that has been restricting the government from tabling the amendment proposal since November 29 claiming that the proposal was unconstitutional.

UML Secretary Pradip Gyawali, however, said the obstruction was likely to continue on Tuesday as well.