Nepal set to adopt new Constitution

Security was beefed up across Nepal today ahead of promulgation of the country's new Constitution drawn up after years of political wrangling, despite Madhesi groups objecting to splitting the nation into seven provinces.
A large numbers of security personnel were deployed at the Constituent Assembly hall in Naya Baneshwor, where president Ram Baran Yadav will unveil the new Constitution.
The new Constitution has been endorsed by 85 per cent of the total 601 members of the Constituent Assembly. The Constitution will see the Himalayan nation become a secular, federal republic with seven states.
The new Constitution has the provision of a bicameral legislation. The Lower House or the House of Representatives will have 375 members and the Upper House has 60 members.

It will have 37 divisions, 304 articles and 7 annexes. The seven provinces will be finalised by a high level commission within a year.
In central and eastern Nepal as well as in hilly districts people are celebrating the occasion of having their own Constitution after 67 years long democratic struggle.

Madhesis and the Tharu ethnic communities in southern Nepal and some western districts are opposed to the new Constitution as they believe the new Constitution failed to address the concerns raise by the Madhesis and the Tharu ethnic communities.
Security was tightened in the southern Nepal districts, where nearly 40 people were killed over the last one month during violent protests against the seven province model that would be incorporated in the new Constitution.

One protester was killed and several other injured as police opened fire at protesters demonstrating defying curfew and declaration of prohibited zone in Birgunj, a town bordering India.
Security has also been tightened in and around Rastrapati Bhawan, Prime Minister's Office, residents of chiefs of diplomatic missions in Nepal and other high government officials and foreign missions.
Vehicular movement was very thin in Kathmandu, Lalitpur and Bhaktapur, where people will light candles at public places in the evening as soon as the President unveils the new Constitution.
A bomb threat was sounded in two places of Lalitpur district, adjoining Kathmandu, early in the morning but the suspicious objects were found to be hoax, police said.