The National Consensus Commission has begun its second round of discussions with political parties. The seventh day of this phase of meetings started on Sunday, June 29.
The meeting commenced at 11:00 AM at the Foreign Service Academy in the capital. The session is being presided over by the commission's Vice-President, Professor Dr. Ali Riaz.
The topics for discussion at today's meeting include: the appointment committee for constitutional and statutory bodies, a bicameral parliament, the election process for the upper house, and the responsibilities and role of the upper house.
It is understood that today's discussions will prioritize unresolved issues from the reform proposals. In previous discussions, while a 'National Constitutional Council (NCC)' was proposed for appointments to constitutional bodies, the Consensus Commission has moved away from this. Instead, a new proposal for forming an 'Appointment Committee for Constitutional and Statutory Bodies' has been put forward. However, the BNP has objected to this proposal, citing that it could reduce the power of the executive branch.
Meanwhile, the BNP has conditionally agreed to the proposal that an individual can serve as Prime Minister for a maximum of 10 years.
In previous meetings, most political parties, with the exception of leftist and some other parties, agreed on the proposal concerning the fundamental principles of the constitution. Furthermore, the proposal to amend Article 70 of the constitution has been positively received by most parties. A majority of parties also agreed on the creation of 100 separate seats for women.
It's worth noting that the first round of discussions involved a total of 45 sessions with 33 political parties and alliances, including the BNP, Jamaat-e-Islami, NCP, CPB, Nagorik Oikya, Ganosamhati Andolon, Gono Odhikar Parishad, and AB Party.
