Kathmandu, Oct 29: Nepal's Parliament on Monday resumed a crucial debate on the Maoists' resolution for a new political and electoral system that has stalled the landmark peace process.
The special session of the interim House resumed amid Maoists' supporters staging a sit-in near the Parliament demanding the immediate declaration of Nepal as a Republic and adopting a fully proportional electoral system for the Constituent Assembly polls.
The session was called earlier this month, but postponed for festival celebrations after the two sides failed to resolve the deadlock.
Hundreds of women activists affiliated to the CPN-Maoist and other Leftist organisations under the banner of the Women's Forum for Democratic Republic organized a rally and sit-in near Singhdurbar secretariat.
At least 100 student activists of the ruling alliance were arrested from the Parliament Gate today as they staged sit-in demanding early elections.
"We wanted to caution the leaders that they have to keep their unity intact and find a way out of the political deadlock," said Gagan Thapa, leader of Nepal Students Union affiliated to the Nepali Congress.
The Speaker Subhash Nemwang held separate meetings with Maoist chairman Prachanda and CPN-UML general secretary Madhav Kumar Nepal before the session started, according to sources.
Nepali Congress has already decided to vote against the Maoists' motion.
"The Parliament session has started, and if we fail to reach any consensus, voting will be conducted to decide on the fate of our proposals in a day or two," Maoist leader Dev Gurung was quoted as saying in the media.
