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Nepal's Upper House passes bill to update map that includes Indian territories

WION Web Team
New Delhi, Delhi, IndiaUpdated: Jun 18, 2020, 02:14 PM IST
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Photograph:(IANS)

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All 57 members of the Upper House voted in favour of the bill. 

Nepal's National Assembly has unanimously passed the Constitution Amendment Bill on Thursday. The bill will update Nepal's political and administrative map incorporating three Indian territories.

Earlier, the Lower House of Nepal's Parliament on June 13 unanimously voted to amend the Constitution to update the country's new political map, laying claim over the strategically key areas of Lipulekh, Kalapani and Limpiyadhura along the border with India. The Indian government termed it as untenable the "artificial enlargement" of territorial claims by Nepal. 

All 57 members of the Upper House voted in favour of the bill. 

The ties between India and Nepal came under strain after Defence Minister Rajnath Singh inaugurated an 80-km-long strategically crucial road connecting the Lipulekh pass with Dharchula in Uttarakhand on May 8.

Nepal reacted sharply to the inauguration of the road claiming that it passed through Nepalese territory. India rejected the claim asserting that the road lies completely within its territory.

Nepal last month released the revised political and administrative map of the country laying claim over the strategically key areas. India has been maintaining that these three areas belonged to it.

New Nepal map Amendment bill will become a law once Nepali President gives her assent.