KATHMANDU: The Girija Prasad Koirala government in Nepal on Monday tabled a bill in the interim Parliament to amend the Constitution to declare Nepal a Federal Democratic Republic.

The proposed amendment in Article 159 (a) of the interim Constitution says, “Nepal will be a Federal Democratic Republic.”

The amendment also says that the republic will be implemented by the first meeting of the newly-elected Constituent Assembly. However, two-thirds of the members of the interim Constitution can abolish the monarchy if the King is found to be conspiring against the Constituent Assembly poll slated for mid-April.

After the amendment, the King will have no constitutionally sanctioned role and the Prime Minister will function as the head of state.

The interim Parliament began discussions on the amendment proposal on Monday and is likely to pass the measure within a week. This is the third amendment in the interim Constitution since it was promulgated a year ago after the success of the April Movement in 2006. The government tabled the amendment as per the 23-point agreement reached by Seven-Party Alliance (SPA) leaders on Sunday evening.

The amendment also proposes change in the composition of the members of the Constituent Assembly to be elected on the proportional basis and through the first-past-the-post system. According to the amendment the Constituent Assembly will now comprise 601 members, of which 240 will be elected on the basis of the first-past-the-post system and 335 nominated by the parties in proportion to the popular votes garnered by them.. The Prime Minister will nominate the rest 26.

Maoists Chairman Prachanda on Monday said his party will soon rejoin the government. He, however, did not specify the date. According to Maoist sources, they will be back in the Cabinet once the interim Parliament passes the amendment proposal.

The Maoist Ministers had left the government some three months ago demanding declaration of Nepal a republic and a fully proportional system of election to the Constituent Assembly.

AP reports:

On Monday, the former rebels were buoyant over the deal bringing them back into the fold. “Now there is nothing else there that needs to be done,” Prachanda said. “There is no monarchy left in the country.”

The current monarch, King Gyanendra, heads a dynasty that dates to 1769, when a regional ruler conquered the ancient city of Kathmandu. He established a line of kings that have been traditionally considered reincarnations of Vishnu, to be venerated by their subjects.