KATHMANDU: CPN-UML General Secretary Shankar Pokharel has said the party’s central committee will propose removing the 70-year age limit during the upcoming statute convention.
Addressing a gathering of the party’s central departments on Sunday at the central office in Chyasal, Pokharel clarified that the age limit,currently suspended, must be formally endorsed by the statute convention as part of the central committee’s duty.
He also addressed controversies and misunderstandings regarding certain constitutional provisions of the party, saying these issues would be clarified.
Pokharel recalled that the party’s central committee meeting held in Sauraha on Mangsir 10, 2078 had proposed amending some provisions of the party constitution, based on then-deputy general secretary Bishnu Prasad Paudel’s proposal.
He explained that while the first statute convention in Godawari had envisioned a 225-member central committee and 15 office bearers, the number was expanded to 301 central committee members and 19 office bearers to address a political crisis at the time.
As part of the second amendment, the central committee increased the number of members in key bodies from 15 to 25. Pokharel also acknowledged that the earlier two-term limit on candidacy for party chairperson was removed to allow leaders like KP Sharma Oli to continue in leadership.
Citing this change, he mentioned that Pushpa Kandel was elected chair of the Accounts Commission for a third term, and that the age limit was waived when Mukunda Neupane, 74, joined the party from CPN (Unified Socialist) in Baisakh 2080 to allow him to take on responsibilities.
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