Constituent Assembly rejects proposal to declare Nepal as a Hindu state

The Constituent Assembly of Nepal has overwhelmingly rejected the proposal to declare Nepal a Hindu state and reaffirmed to remain secular.

The proposal to amend the constitution received the support of only 21 lawmakers of the Constituent Assembly in the total 601 member assembly. In order to pass this proposal, it was necessary to secure the required 10 per cent of votes.

The proposal to amend the Constitution to make the Hindu-majority nation as a Hindu state was forwarded by Pro-Hindu National Democratic Party of Nepal. The proposal had demanded to make changes in Article 4 of the revised bill of the new constitution.

Earlier in 2007, the Himalayan nation was declared a secular state after the success of the People’s Movement of 2006 to overthrow the Monarchy.

Presently, Nepal has entered the final phase of promulgating its new Constitution with the three major parties going ahead with clause-wise voting on the final draft of the statute in the Constituent Assembly.