UN Headquarters, Jan 23- There were optimistic signs that the twice-postponed elections for a Constituent Assembly that would decide the future of Nepal could take place as planned on 10 April, the United Nations Mission in Nepal (UNMIN) Ian Martin, the Secretary-General’s Special Representative said at the UN Headquarters on January 23. He was speaking at a press conference following the UN Security Council’s decision to extend the mandate of the United Nations Mission in Nepal (UNMIN) for another six months.

However, a 21-point agreement reached between political parties had not satisfied the Dalit and other marginalized groups, the UNMIN Chief said. Political leaders were now trying to find an acceptable balance between ensuring inclusion and representation in the election, and not prejudging the prerogatives of the Constituent Assembly. The central challenge until the April elections was to address the concerns of marginalized groups through dialogue in order to reach agreement on participation in the Constituent Assembly and to address the security situation in Central and Eastern Terai. News Source: UN-DPI. < < More on this story >>.