KATHMANDU, Sept 21: The ruling coalition has concluded that President Bidya Devi Bhandari’s move to refuse to certify the Citizenship Amendment Bill is an insult to and devaluation of the federal parliament.
The Nepali Congress, CPN (Maoist Center), CPN (United Socialist) and Janata Samajwadi Party issued a joint statement on Wednesday after a meeting at the Prime Minister’s residence at Baluwatar. They concluded that President Bhandari’s decision of not authenticating the Citizenship Bill has violated the constitutional provision. Four parties of the ruling coalition except the Rastriya Janamorcha party have signed the statement.
“This unconstitutional move by the President has insulted and devalued the federal parliament elected by the people,” reads a statement issued by the four ruling parties. The meeting concluded that the steps taken by the President deprived the children of Nepali parents of their constitutional right to citizenship. The parties accused President Bhandari of attacking the basic values of the Constitution promulgated by the Constituent Assembly.
The ruling coalition had called a meeting to discuss the issue after President Bhandari did not certify the Citizenship Amendment Bill passed by both the House of Representatives and the National Assembly.
The four parties have called upon the political parties, civil society and intellectual community in favor of the federal democratic republic constitutional system to be alert against the President’s move.
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