KATHMANDU, March 1: Birendranagar, the capital of Karnali Province, looked tense throughout Monday, as the political parties enforcing ‘Nepal Banda’ and police personnel clashed several times.
The local administrations have deployed heavy security personnel in the area following protests by political parties opposing the Millennium Corporate Challenge (MCC) compact.
The anti-MCC cadres have also vandalized the police office at Birendranagar.
To bring the situation under control, a curfew has been enforced from 8 PM Monday to 7:30 PM on Tuesday.
According to Khagendra Prasad Rijal, the chief district officer of Surkhet district, the security personnel are ordered to shoot if anyone tries to defy the orders.
KATHMANDU: The United States (US) has said that the decision whether to ratify the $500 million-dollar Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) Nepal Compact
Chairman of CPN (Unified Socialist) and former Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal has said the US government's grant assistance MCC could not be ratified by the parliament as it is.
KATHMANDU, Feb 21: The government on Sunday tabled the Millennium Corporate Challenge (MCC) in parliament despite huge public outcry and protests.
The main opposition party, CPN-UML has not made its position regarding the MCC so far and members of the ruling alliance share different views on the agreement. Cadres of the CPN (Maoist Center), a key member of the ruling alliance, have taken to streets opposing the MCC ratification.
As the compact has already been tabled in parliament, here is what the MCC requires to be ratified:
Article 279 (1) of the Constitution of Nepal states that the ratification of, accession to, acceptance of, or approval of, treaties or agreements to which Nepal or the Government of Nepal is to become a party shall be as provided for in the Federal law.
- General discussion regarding the ratification of, accession to, acceptance of, or approval of the compact in the next parliament meeting as per House of Representatives Regulations (2075)
- Discussion regarding provisions of agreement or agreement itself or let the concerned committee to study the agreement
- As the deadline for the ratification of the MCC is nearing, the parliamentary committee is unlikely to be asked to conduct the study as it will be time consuming. So the government is very much likely to conduct discussions and study in parliament itself.
Does the MCC require a general majority or two-third majority to be ratified?
As per the Constitution of Nepal, four types of treaties or agreements require a two-third majority for ratification.
They are:
a) peace and friendship
(b) defense and strategic alliance
c) boundaries of the State of Nepal, and
d) natural resources, and the distribution of their uses.
Also, the Article 279 (2) also states that if any treaty or agreement is of an ordinary nature, which does not affect the nation extensively, seriously or in the long term, the ratification of, accession to, acceptance of, or approval of, such treaty or agreement may be made by a simple majority of the members present in a meeting of the House of Representatives.
KATHMANDU, Feb 17: It has been learnt that the Prime Minister and President of Nepali Congress (NC) Sher Bahadur Deuba has granted three options to Pushpa Kamal Dahal, Chairman of CPN (Maoist Center) regarding the ratification of the Millennium Corporate Challenge (MCC).
Dahal, who is the chairman of the key coalition partner of PM Deuba-led government, has opposed the government’s move to table the MCC in parliament for ratification.
Following the government’s decision to table the $500 million American grant in parliament, the two leaders have remained busy holding discussions and meetings.
The leaders hold a discussion on Wednesday and Thursday morning. During the meeting, after both leaders remained reluctant on their decision, PM Deuba granted Dahal three options.
Option 1
Help the government to create an environment for MCC ratification by not being present in parliamentry proceedings
Option 2
Vote against MCC ratification
Option 3
Withdraw MC’s support to government if it is necessary
The ruling Nepali Congress has remained confident that the MCC will be passed if it is successfully tabled in parliament.
fter a prolonged deadlock over Parliament’s ratification of a $500 million US-backed infrastructure project, Nepal’s ruling parties have found a formula to keep their coalition intact, and approve the scheme. The controversial project was threatening to break up the five-party coalition because Prime Minister Deuba’s Nepali Congress (NC) was for it, while the Maoist Centre and the CPN Unified Socialists […]
