KATHMANDU, Nov 2 - In a dramatic turn of events, the special session of the Interim Legislature-Parliament which resumed Friday evening to resolve the deadlock created by the Maoist motions seeking immediate declaration of a republic through the House and adoption of a fully proportional electoral system for the CA polls has been adjourned till 2 pm Sunday (Nov 4).

As soon as the House resumed its special session at around 8:30 pm following half an hour recess, Speaker Subas Nemwang announced that the House had been adjourned till 2 pm Sunday “as the concerned ministers were yet to respond to the Maoist motions and the amendment motions tabled by the CPN-UML.”

The special session of the House was adjourned till Sunday afternoon as the Maoist leaders sought more time to hammer out a consensus on the Maoist motions and the amendment motions tabled by the CPN-UML, it is learnt.

As a middle-ground solution, the Nepali Congress and the CPN-UML had jointly proposed to “proclaim a federal democratic republic through the House and implement the proclamation through the first sitting of the elected Constituent Assembly with the commitment to hold the CA polls within the year 2064.”

“But the Maoists rejected the proposal and insisted on the immediate implementation of the republic proclamation,” NC Vice President and peace and reconstruction Minister Ram Chandra Paudel said.

“The CA polls are simply not possible if the king remains at the same position as now,” sources quoted Maoist Chairman Prachanda as telling the NC and UML leaders, demanding more time for discussions among the partiers that led to the adjournment of the House till Sunday.    

Earlier this evening, the interim parliament resumed its special session after several rounds of discussions among the leaders of the major political parties. 

As an all-party meeting held at the Maoist Parliamentary Office Friday afternoon failed to reach a consensus on the Maoist motions, it was speculated that the issue would be decided through a vote in the House.

But the voting too was cancelled at the last hour and the House was adjourned so as to avoid voting and reach an agreement on the Maoist and UML motions through dialogue among the parties before it resumes on Sunday. 

Taking part in the debate on the motions, the parties stuck to their stances much like the previous days.

In today’s sitting of the House, Nepali Congress Chief Whip Ananda Prasad Dhungana, CPN-UML Chief Whip Mahendra Bahadur Pandey, CPN-Maoist Chief Whip Janardan Sharma put forward their party’s views defending their respective positions on the motions registered at the interim parliament.

Addressing the House, NC Chief Whip Dhungana defended the party’s stance stating that it had to keep its promises and the commitments made to the Nepali people. However, he said that the party was not against the declaration of a republic or the PR system.

"We had suggested passing a commitment proposal through the parliament to declare a federal democratic republic which would be implemented after the CA elections," he said.

Dismissing the charges that the party was against the PR system, he said, "The party had also accepted mixed system where 50 percent of seats would have been elected on PR basis.”

Similarly, UML Chief Whip Pandey reiterated that the party’s amendment proposal was aimed at strengthening the seven-party unity by bringing together all the parties.

Pandey added that the UML was firm on its stance to usher in a republic in the country.

Maoist Chief Whip Sharma also defended his party’s proposals saying the passing of the proposals would guarantee a democratic republic and the successful holding of the CA polls.