Nepali Congress decides to Vote in Favor of New Political Map

The bill related to the new political map of the country presented in the Parliament by the Government of Nepal was discussed by the main opposition party Nepali Congress on Saturday and has decided to vote in its favor. Nepal's law minister Shivamaya Tumbamfe introduced the motion in parliament in the parliament session held on Sunday.

This amendment will get a constitutional form after it is passed by Parliament and signed by the President of Nepal. Significantly, amid the border dispute with India, Nepal recently released a revised political and administrative map of the country in which it has claimed its strategically important Indian territory Lipulekh, Kalapani, and Limpiyadhura.
It is noteworthy that this decision was taken in a meeting of the Central Executive Committee (CWC) at the party headquarters in Sanepa. The Kathmandu Post quoted CWC member Min Bishwakarma as saying that his party would vote in support of the bill.
According to Nepali Congress sources, the proposal placed in the meeting of the CWC pertains to the Constitution Amendment Bill, which provides for amending the political map included in the Third Schedule relating to Article 9 (two) of the Constitution.

Law, Justice, and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Shivamaya Tumbahangfe was to present the bill in Parliament on Wednesday. However, the bill was removed from the list of proceedings of the House at the request of the Nepali Congress as the party had to decide on it at the CWC meeting. To amend the Nepali Constitution it is necessary to have a two-thirds vote in Parliament.

India had reacted strongly to Nepal's move, saying that artificially expanding the region would not be accepted. India had said that Nepal should not make an unfair claim through the map.

In fact, when Defense Minister Rajnath Singh inaugurated the 80-kilometer Dharchula-Lipulek route, Nepal objected to it and described Lipulekh as its territory. The Dharchula-scripted route will be good for pilgrims traveling to Kailash Mansarovar and it will also save their time. Earlier pilgrims used to take two to three weeks to complete this journey, but now the journey can be completed in just one week.

This new route is an extension of the Pithoragarh-Tawaghat-Ghatiabagarh route. The Nepal government has mentioned Limpiyadhura, Lipulekh, and Kalapani and its region in its new political map, which created controversy.