KATHMANDU, March 18 (Xinhua) -- Nepal's recently-formed high- level political mechanism on Sunday recommended the country's interim government to hold the second Constituent Assembly elections by June 18 this year, local media reported.
The mechanism, comprising leaders of four major political parties, was set up on Saturday as per the 11-point agreement signed by the four parties on March 13 to end a 10-month-long deadlock in Nepal.
The mechanism is chaired on a monthly rotational basis and for the first month, UCPN-Maoist chairperson Prachanda is leading the mechanism. For the second, third and fourth month, Nepali Congress, CPN-UML and the Madhesi Front will lead the mechanism, respectively.
It has been tasked to assist Interim Election Government, the neutral election government led by Supreme Court Chief Justice Khilraj Regmi, to hold the second general election after the end of the country's civil war in 2006.
Meanwhile, President Ram Baran Yadav on Sunday approved an Ordinance on Constitutional Council submitted by the interim government.
The approval allows the government to fill the vacant posts in constitutional bodies including the Election Commission and thus, promptly push ahead with the preparatory works for June election.
The ordinance has removed a previous provision of arranging parliamentary hearings before making appointments in constitutional bodies, as Nepal has no legislative body since May 27 last year.
The ordinance further ensures that the speaker of legislative body and main leader of key opposition party will not be required any more in the Constitutional Council.
The incumbent executive head, acting chief justice of Supreme Court and three ministers will be the members of the Council, which has the full authority of making new constitutional appointments.
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