KATHMANDU: In a historic event, the House of Representatives unanimously endorsed the Constitution Amendment Bill on Saturday evening to make a change to the Coat of Arms as per the newly updated map of Nepal.
In the closed voting, 258 votes were cast in favor of the amendment bill and no vote against which is more than the two-thirds majority required for the endorsement, Speaker Agni Sapkota announced.
The hall echoed with rounds of applause by the lawmakers following the announcement.
All the parties representing the Federal Parliament supported the bill.
Now, discussions will be held in the National Assembly as the bill has been endorsed by the lower house.
After the National Assembly passes it, the second constitution amendment bill of Nepal will be a part of the constitution and will be included in the constitution following certification by the President.
Minister for Law Shivamaya Tumbahamphe had tabled the bill to amend Schedule 3 related to Article 9 (2) of the Constitution for including an updated map that includes Limpiyadhura, Lipu Lekh and Kalapani on May 31.
The government had released an updated political and administrative map of Nepal on May 20. With the issuance of the new map, Nepal’s territorial area has increased by 335-square kilometers.
The KP Oli-led government was under immense pressure from all walks of life to publish Nepal’s updated political map after India inaugurated the link road via Lipu Lekh on May 8.
Nepal had strongly condemned the construction of a new link road by India to connect Mansarobar of Tibet, China, via Kalapani Lipulekh area which falls in Nepali territory.
The government of Nepal had called upon the government of India to refrain from carrying out any activity inside the territory of Nepal.
Nepal has been consistently maintaining that as per the Sugauli Treaty (1816), all the territories east of Kali (Mahakali) River, including Limpiyadhura, Kalapani and Lipu Lekh, belong to Nepal.
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