A high-level meeting of major political parties today failed to forge consensus on the disputed issues of Parliamentary Regulations as the ruling and the opposition parties stuck to their old stances on the strength of the Parliamentary Hearing Committee.

Nepali Congress Chief Whip Chin Kaji Shrestha said his party rejected the ruling parties’ proposal that a 15-member PHC be formed.

Shrestha said NC’s stance was that the provision of the new constitution would be applicable only when the Upper House was formed and as there was no Upper House at present, the PHC should have 73 members as was the case under the Interim Constitution. “This is a transitional period and all other committees are functioning as per the old regulations, so the PHC should also be formed accordingly,” Shrestha said, adding that his party leaders told the meeting if it was urgent to conduct parliamentary hearing, then they should agree on reviving the old PHC. Shrestha said his party leaders told the meeting that under the present system, it was necessary for the PHC to have more members to reflect the size of the 601-member Parliament and to ensure representation of all parties in Parliament. “The spirit of the constitution is to ensure representation of all the parties and communities in the PHC,” Shrestha added