SECOND CONSTITUTION AMENDMENT BILL (NEPAL)

June 15, 2020

The Lower House of Nepal's Parliament unanimously voted for the Second Constitution Amendment Bill, which guarantees legal status for the new political map of the country that includes part of Indian territory in Uttarakhand, laying claim over the strategically key areas of Lipulekh, Kalapani and Limpiyadhura along the border with India.

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The bill will now be sent to the National Assembly (NA). After the National Assembly passes the bill, it will be submitted to the President for authentication, after which the bill will be incorporated in the Constitution.
The territorial dispute of Kalapani, Limpiyadhura and Lipulekh stems from the fact that Nepal claims the land to the east of river Kali, which forms the country’s western border.
As per Nepal’s understanding, the river originates from Limpiyadhura in the higher Himalayas, giving it access to a triangular-shaped land defined by Limpiyadhura-Lipulekh and Kalapani.
India opposes the notion and says the origin of the river is much further down, which reduces Nepal’s territorial demand.
Nepal unveiled the new map on May 20 after Defence Minister Rajnath Singh inaugurated Darchula-Lipulekh link road on May 8. Nepal had earlier strongly protested when the updated Indian map published in November last year, showing the region as part of Uttarakhand.
Nepal claims right to the region and says India was allowed to station troops there in the 1950s and that India has refused to remove forces from the region ever since.