Nepal’s Upper House Passes Bill for New Map Including Indian Areas

Nepal has decided to publish a new political map asserting its claim over the Kalapani region.

(Photo: The Quint)

Nepal's National Assembly on Thursday, 18 June, unanimously passed the Constitution Amendment Bill to update the country's map incorporating Indian territories, news agency PTI reported.

The National Assembly is the Upper House of the Nepal Parliament.

Fifty-seven votes were cast in favour of the bill, while none of the members voted against it.

Nepal President Bidhya Devi Bhandari has ratified the bill for changing the map of Nepal to include Kalapani, Lipulekh and Limpiyadhura.

Nepal President Bidhya Devi Bhandari ratifies Constitution Amendment Bill for changing the map of Nepal.

On 13 June, Nepal's House of Representatives – the lower house – had passed the controversial bill introducing a new map.

As per the new map under the bill, areas of Kalapani, Limpiyadhura and Lipulekh – which are on the Indian map – belong to Nepal. The bill also seeks to update the map in the national emblem.

India's Ministry of External Affairs had earlier called the move "not tenable".

“This artificial enlargement of claims is not based on historical fact or evidence and is not tenable. It is also violative of our current understanding to hold talks on outstanding boundary issue,” the MEA had said.

Meanwhile, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh had said that if there is any misunderstanding between India and Nepal, then "we will sort it out through dialogue".

"The relation between India and Nepal is not an ordinary one. We are bound together by 'roti-beti' and no power in the world can break it," he was quoted by PTI as saying at Uttarakhand's 'Jan Samvad' virtual rally on 15 June.