Prime Minister (PM) and CPN Chairman KP Sharma Oli has instructed the central members to not raise the issue of one-third female representation in the central committee under the influence of NGOs.
Speaking during the central committee meeting at the PM’s official residence in Baluwatar Thursday evening, he said there was no adequate representation of women as the central committees of two parties had to be integrated.
“Let us not be influenced by anyone. NGOs may tell the women that there should be 33 percent representation.
There may not have been 33 percent representation while integrating two central committees. We have discussed a lot. Mere talking annoyingly suffices for the NGOs. But we have to work,” Oli said during the meeting.
He told the members that female participation in the central committee has been discussed at the top level. “The course can change after the general convention,” he added.
There are only 77 women in the 441-strong central committee of CPN now which is just over 17 percent. Article 15(4) of the Act about Political Parties requires one-third female representation in party committees at all levels.
“We have not done this unknowingly,” a central member quoted Oli as saying. “We know everything. We will correct it with time.”
Another Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal, however, did not speak about female representation during the meeting.
All the central members were instructed to come with copies of citizenship certificate. The central members spent the majority in the time printing the copy is in accordance to the original citizenship certificate on the back of the copy and signing on it.
“The leaders spoke. We spent our time signing on the minute and copy of citizenship certificate,” a central member told Setopati.
