30 Ashadh, Kathmandu — The main opposition party, the Nepali Congress, is preparing to formulate the party’s roadmap on constitutional amendment. For that purpose, it is collecting suggestions with the aim of preparing an action plan and a thematic framework.\n\nThrough the ‘Expert Committee formed to study constitutional amendment and submit recommendations,’ the Congress has moved ahead with collecting suggestions for the purpose of preparing an action plan and a thematic framework.\n\nThe expert committee, formed under the coordination of Vice President Pushpa Bhusal, has stated that drafting work for constitutional amendment has not yet begun because suggestions are being collected through discussions with various stakeholders across the country.\n\nCommittee member and senior advocate Gopal Krishna Ghimire said discussions are being held with stakeholder groups (discussion groups) to collect suggestions. He also said that constitutional amendment is not a matter to be rushed.\n\n‘We have had two or four meetings. Right now, we are sitting with “discussion groups,”’ senior advocate Ghimire told Onlinekhabar. ‘Constitutional amendment is not something to be done in great haste.’\n\nAccording to senior advocate Ghimire, consultations with discussion groups are focused not so much on the government’s initiative as on how the party should move forward on constitutional amendment. He said suggestions are being collected by visiting all seven provinces and consulting intellectuals, party workers, and stakeholders.\n\n‘Gradually, we are going to all seven provinces and taking views from various sectors, including intellectuals and party workers,’ Ghimire said. ‘The work is moving forward slowly. It has not picked up a very fast pace. But we are working.’\n\nCongress’s disagreement with the government task force\n\nThe Congress has not participated in the ‘task force formed to prepare a discussion paper on constitutional amendment,’ which is coordinated by political adviser to Prime Minister Balen Shah, Asim Shah.\n\nThe Congress has maintained that the process of constitutional amendment should move forward through a parliamentary committee of the legislature, not through a government committee. Party president Gagan Thapa said the Congress did not join the ‘task force formed to prepare a discussion paper on constitutional amendment’ after fully understanding everything.\n\n‘In the same meeting, we had supported nearly half a dozen government-related issues,’ he said. ‘But from that same meeting, we decided that none of our representatives would go to that task force, should not go, and for that reason would not go.’\n\nThe Congress believes that, on the issue of constitutional amendment, a discussion can begin by forming a committee comprising sitting or retired justices of the Supreme Court and experts.\n\n‘Or now that we are in Parliament, there is Parliament, we can also form a committee from within Parliament and proceed,’ President Thapa said at a program in Sanepa titled “The Nepali Congress’s Perspective on Constitutional Amendment.” ‘Only this will make our seriousness clear.’\n\nCongress’s preparations for constitutional amendment\n\nThe Congress is preparing to begin formal dialogue with other political parties regarding constitutional amendment. As part of this, in the first phase, the Congress will try to build a common understanding by holding discussions with the major political parties that worked together in the Constituent Assembly.\n\nIf a common understanding cannot be reached with the parties that worked together in the Constituent Assembly, the party will at least try to establish a minimum consensus, according to President Thapa.\n\n‘Now we will move forward with dialogue with other political parties on constitutional amendment,’ he said. ‘In the first phase, we will talk with the main political parties that worked together in the Constituent Assembly. We will try to build a common understanding. If a common understanding is not reached, we will at least build a minimum understanding.’\n\nAfter the first round of talks, the Congress will also discuss constitutional amendment with the ruling Rastriya Swatantra Party