The much-awaited new constitution’s first draft has been tabled in the Constituent Assembly (CA). The CA’s Constitution Drafting Committee (CDC) President Krishna Sitaula handed over the draft to the CA Chair Subhas Nembang in Tuesday’s delayed session.

Some fringe parties – mainly the Hindu-Royalist RPP-Nepal, Federal Socialist Forum Nepal, Tarai Madhes Democratic Party and Sadbhavana Party – have disowned the constitution’s preliminary draft prepared on the basis of a 16-point agreement signed by the ruling NC-UML and the opposition UCPN (Maoist)-MJF (Democratic).

As soon as Sitaula presented the draft, some disgruntled CA members tore it and walked out of the CA hall. They say the new constitution’s draft is ‘regressive’ and is unable to ensure rights of marginalised communities like Madhesi, Dalit, Janjatis and women.

CA members representing RPP-N did not tear down the draft but chanted slogans against it. They have demanded a referendum before turning Nepal into a secular nation in the constitution.

NC leader Pradip Giri also objected to some provisions and walked out of the CA hall when he was asked by Nembang to sit down.

The new constitution divides Nepal into eight federal provinces on the basis of identity and viability and has provisions for Constitutional Court. But boundaries and names of federal provinces are subject to yet-to-be-formed Federal Commission and Federal Provinces respectively.