Jhalanath Khanal warns against weakening constitution in the name of amendment

Kathmandu, September 20, 2026 — Former Prime Minister and senior Nepal Communist Party leader Jhalanath Khanal has accused some forces of attempting to distort the current constitution in the name of constitutional amendment.

Speaking at the launch of Sahakari Thagiko Jaal, a book written by Rastriya Janamorcha General Secretary Manoj Bhatt, Khanal described the debate over constitutional amendment without first reviewing its implementation as meaningless.

Khanal said the implementation of the constitution should first be seriously reviewed before determining whether amendments are necessary.

“The spirit and essence of the constitution should not be amended. Examining its errors and weaknesses and then discussing amendments is a different matter,” Khanal said. He argued that calls for amendment were being raised without a proper review of the constitution.

Khanal also warned political parties against treating constitutional amendment as an ordinary matter. He said the process should be carried out seriously and responsibly, with broad discussions among all political parties and wider consensus.

He urged caution against what he described as attempts to weaken the fundamental spirit of the constitution by raising the issue of amendment without considering the appropriate time and context.