The Speaker of the Provincial Assembly has finally begun the parliamentary process to resolve the longstanding issue of giving the province a name and a capital city.

Speaker Saroj Kumar Yadav issued a notice on Sunday urging the local government to register a proposal regarding the name and capital of the province. The issued deadline to register the proposal/s is from August 11 to 22. The Speaker issued the notice by amending the provincial assembly working procedure.

In accordance with the procedure, any member of the provincial assembly can register a proposal with the support of at least two other members of the legislative body.

Due to intra- and inter-party disputes regarding the name and capital of the province, the provincial government could not submit a proposal to resolve the longstanding issue. The ruling Nepal Samajbadi Party and Rastriya Janata Party Nepal want to name province 2 as Madhes Province; however, Nepal Communist Party and Nepali Congress want to name Province 2 as Mithila Province. Even the provincial assembly members of the same party are divided on the issue. There is also a sharp division among lawmakers on the issue of choosing a capital; they don’t know whether to make Janakpur—which is currently the temporary capital—the permanent capital or shift the provincial headquarters to Birgunj.

In accordance to the constitution, the Provincial Assembly has the authority to decide the name and capital of the province by two-thirds majority.