Nepal Parliament Passes New Constitution Wednesday Sep 16,2015

Nepal's parliament passed a new national constitution on Wednesday, weeks after political leaders reached a historic agreement to create a federal state following an earthquake that killed nearly 9,000 people.

A loud cheer went up in the House as Speaker Subash Nembang announced that the long-delayed bill had been passed after violent protests that have killed more than 40 people and shut down large swathes of the south

In all, 507 of the young republic's 598 lawmakers came out in favour of the bill in the marathon vote, which began on Sunday and continued late into Wednesday night.

The new charter will replace an interim constitution in place since the end of a decade-long civil war that led to the abolition of the Hindu monarchy, and is due to come into force on Sunday evening after a ceremony at the Constituent Assembly, or parliament.

It will divide the Himalayan nation of 28 million people into seven federal provinces, a move aimed at devolving power from the centre, but which critics say will not do enough to empower historically marginalised groups.

Note

Work on a new constitution began in 2008, two years after the end of a civil war between state forces and Maoist guerrillas seeking to depose an autocratic king and end high levels of social inequality.

For years the parties were unable to agree on the terms of the new charter, but Nepal's three biggest political forces -- the Nepali Congress, UML and Maoist parties -- ended the deadlock in June 2015 after a 7.8-magnitude quake that killed nearly 8,900 people and destroyed around half a million homes.

They reached a deal on a new federal structure for the country, but were criticised for leaving the crucial issue of internal borders undecided.

Nepal's 239-year old monarchy was abolished in 2008, seven years after an unhinged crown prince killed the king and eight members of his family at the height of a Maoist uprising.

Disgruntled royalist politicians voted against the charter on Wednesday, while some parties from the southern lowlands abstained.
 

The Maoists laid down their arms in 2006 and joined democratic politics with an India-brokered peace deal that paved the way for the constitution.

Koirala is expected to stand down to allow a new government under the charter. He may be replaced by KP Oli, from a moderate Communist party

Nepal will adopt its first full democratic charter on Sunday Sep 20,2015, a historic step for a nation that has seen war, a palace massacre and devastating earthquakes since a campaign to create a modern state began more than 65 years ago. President Ram Baran Yadav will formally promulgate the constitution intended to unite the country