Nepalese MPs extended parliament's term for a fourth and final time Tuesday to allow the drafting of a new constitution in line with a peace accord brokered after the civil war ended in 2006. Lawmakers agreed to the six-month extension after a panel of leaders from four major political parties came up with a timeline to write the constitution and complete the troubled peace process.
Formed in 2008 after Nepal ditched its monarchy, the current 601-member parliament, or Constituent Assembly, was given an initial two-year mandate to write a new constitution for the young republic. That mandate has already received three extensions due to the inability of rival political parties to reach a consensus on the new charter - meant to pave the way for fresh elections and Nepal's post-war development.
Maoist rebels fought the government in a bloody 10-year conflict, during which 16,000 people died, before turning to mainstream politics and winning elections in 2008. "Out of a total of 508 lawmakers present today, 505 voted for the extension of the parliament," Speaker Subash Chandra Nemwang told lawmakers. "Therefore I announce that the term of constituent assembly has been extended for six months." The previous extension was due to expire on Wednesday and the Supreme Court ruled last week that any further extension must be the last.