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By Our Reporter

Almost 18 years after the signing of the Comprehensive Peace Accord (CPA), the political parties have reached closer to forge consensus on the bill related to transitional justice.

On Monday morning, a meeting held at the Ministry of Home Affairs at Singha Durbar reached an agreement in principle on the bill. Leaders participating in the meeting said that the TRC bill is close to being finalised.

In the meeting, facilitation task force members Minister for Home Affairs Ramesh Lekhak from the Nepali Congress, Chief Whip Mahesh Bartaula from CPN-UML, and Deputy General Secretary Janardan Sharma from the CPN-Maoist Centre were present.

The meeting was also attended by Minister for Law, Justice, and Parliamentary Affairs Ajay Kumar Chaurasiya, Chairperson of the Parliamentary Committee on Law, Justice, and Human Rights Bimala Subedi, and Attorney General Ramesh Badal, according to Home Minister’s Secretariat.

It was said that by Thursday (August 1), they would review all discussions held so far and with relevant bodies and prepare a report.

The big three political parties – Nepali Congress, CPN- UML and CPN-MC had not reached an understanding on the Truth and Reconciliation Bill because of the row between the UML and the Maoist Centre in the past.

But now the parties have agreed to form a 15-member Special Committee to discuss the TRC bill after the ruling parties showed flexibility to satisfy the UML which had been demanding that the bill be sent to a House panel. UML lawmakers have opposed the TRC bill saying it does not do justice to conflict victims and if the bill is passed in its current form, the international community may object to it.

The Bill has provisions to lower the sentences by 76 per cent for crimes committed during the conflict period.