Nepal: LLRC in final preparations to submit its report

By- Binod Prasad Adhikari Kathmandu [Nepal], Mar. 2 (ANI): With the date for holding the local elections in Nepal approaching near and structure of local bodies unknown to the electoral body, the Local Level Restructuring Commission (LLRC) is making final preparations to submit its report. "In terms of number and boundaries of local bodies, we have already completed it, it's over but regarding this special protected and autonomous region, we are working on that and according to the constitution our time tenure is almost over. We have only two weeks remaining, so within that given time, we will finalize everything," LLRC chairman Balananda Paudel told ANI. The Commission which now has two weeks time left to submit its report has faced a lot of setbacks and problems while preparing the report. The LLRC chairman accused the government of not coping up with the commission in preparing the report. "We are working on this special protected and autonomous area. Regarding this function we are not receiving the response from the government. We have already submitted our report but the number and boundaries of local bodies it is yet to be declared by the government so we are unable to discuss with the district people; the local people because it is yet to be publicized. So without being public we can't go to the public without those boundaries and number," he said. Apart from the lack of co-ordination from the government, the Commission is facing the scarcity of data's pertaining population, economic status and other factors. The LLRC formed in 2015 submitted its first draft to the government lately on December has proposed 719 local units (Village and Municipal Councils). The agitating Madhesh-based parties have demanded for the allocation of 50 percent units in Southern Plains of Nepal and have accused of preparing the report without going to the districts and taking views of public. LLRC Chairman Paudel claimed of holding discussion with the agitating parties and has sought their consensus. "Before determining the number and boundaries of local bodies we sat together with agitating parties also; we invited the agitating parties and they gave the suggestion that on the basis of population the number should be there in accordance with population. They were talking about the 20 districts bordering with India and their demand is that the 50 percent population is there but the unit wise the total number given to the flat land is 34 percent so they are demanding 50 percent but the commission is very much bounded by the limitation of our geography," he added. (ANI)