The meeting of the Council of Ministers on Tuesday endorsed the decision taken by political parties to constitute the State Restructuring Commission (SRC) as per a consensus among the major political parties.
The SRC will be formally constituted in accordance with Article 138 of the Interim Constitution of Nepal.
With this, eight experts from diverse fields have been appointed as the members of the SRC as per the decision taken by the meeting of big three parties and the Madhesi Morcha Tuesday afternoon. As no chairperson or coordinator is appointed in the SRC, the members shall chair the Commission on a rotational basis.
According to Minister for Physical Planning and Works Hridayesh Tripathi, the Cabinet meeting also decided about the terms of reference of the SRC and remuneration to its members. The SRC will be based at the Constituent Assembly Hall where the UNMIN office was under operation earlier.
Minister for Federal Affairs, Constituent Assembly, Parliamentary Affairs and Culture, Gopal Kiranti said the SRC has been mandated to work based on the report of Legislature-Parliament's Committee on State Restructuring and Division of State Power and suggestions and comments furnished to the report and interpretation of identity and economic viability in relation to state restructuring.
Those appointed as the Commission members include Malla K Sundar and Stella Tamang from the UCPN (Maoist), Sabitra Gurung and Dr Ramesh Dhungel from the Nepali Congress and Sarbaraj Khadka and Bhogendra Jha from the CPN ( UML).
Krishna Hachhethu and Surendra Mahato are the members elected for the Commission from the United Democratic Madeshi Front (UDMF), an alliance of the Madhes-centric parties.
Talking to the media persons following the meeting of the four parties, Minister for Information and Communications, JP Gupta said though the name of Krishna Khanal was proposed for the post of the Commission Chairperson by the Congress, the UML and the UMDF, an agreement to this end could not be forged due to the refusal of the Maoists.
Minister for Federal Affairs and Culture, Gopal Kiranti said the Chairperson for the Commission would be elected after holding further discussions among the parties.