In yet another mid-night exercise,Nepal's legislature parliament has extended the term of the constituent assembly by three more months now after it failed to deliver the constitution by the May 28 midnight deadline. The decision to vote in favour of a government resolution for term extension with amendment was formalised at 5 in the morning on Sunday,an hour after top leaders of the three major political parties - Nepali Congress,Maoists,and the Communist Party of Nepal-Unified Marxist Leninist (CPN-UML) - inked a five point agreement that includes resignation of Prime Minister Jhalanath Khanal to pave the way for a national government,completion of peace process and preparation of the first draft of the constitution within three months. The House term will be extended by another three months on completion of these agreements. The House that began its session at quarter past 11-more than 15 hours behind schedule-but just 45 minutes prior to its term was to expire voted in favour of the resolution by a decisive 504 against just 4 opposing it. The Madhesh parties which demanded endorsement of 10,000 people from Madhesh region being recruited in the Nepal army and guarantee for entire Madhesh region being declared one pradesh when Nepal goes federal however,kept neutral as no categorical assurance came. The extension of the House term addresses a major concern that its absence will create a major constitutional vacuum in the country ,but there are lot of skepticism being expressed if the House that has repeatedly failed them will act differently. President Ram Baran Yadav who had been putting pressure on the Prime Minister and major political parties to come to a consensus on the House term extended put signed on the legislative decision for extension of the House term on back date-May 14-although it was produced before him on the 15th morning. The CA which came into the existence for a two year term on May 28,2008 had its term extended for a year on its failure to meet the deadline last year. The Nepali Congress,second largest party in the House,had put forward some rigid conditions that Maoists must hand-over the key of the containers with its arms to the government,and demilitarise its party out fits as a condition for supporting the House term extension this time. But at the last moment,when its president Sushil Koirala signed the agreement at 4 a m along with UML Chief Khanal and Maoist Chief Prachanda,did not insist on those points. However,leaders of the three parties interpreted the agreement differently soon after the voting was over. Prachanda said the Prime Minister would resign when an atmosphere of national government is created,and Khanal concurred with that. But Nepali Congress leader Ram Chandra Poudel said the resignation will come immediately
