The latest integrated draft of the July National Charter proposes granting the document a special legal status, placing it above all existing laws and court rulings. According to the draft, the Charter—described as a reflection of the universal will of the people—would be protected by a special constitutional provision to ensure its supremacy.

Sources from the National Consensus Commission (NCC) say that, under the proposed framework, if any part of the Charter conflicts with the Constitution or other laws, the Charter would take precedence and could not be legally challenged.

While the draft is not yet final, some legal aspects of the “pledges” section remain under review. Interim government Chief Adviser and NCC Chair Professor Muhammad Yunus is expected to review it today, with plans to circulate the revised version to political parties by Friday.

The interim administration, which came to power following a mass uprising, has been pursuing sweeping reforms across multiple sectors. The July Charter is built on 82 proposals agreed upon during two phases of political consultations, based on recommendations from six reform commissions.

An initial version of the Charter was shared with political parties on 29 July. Feedback from those parties has now been incorporated, with further expert discussions under way on how to implement the measures.

The draft Charter is structured in three parts: a background section, the list of agreed reform proposals, and a set of pledges for implementation. While the earlier draft required parties to commit to implementing the reforms within two years of forming a government after elections, that deadline has now been removed.

Key pledges in the draft include:

• Full implementation of the July National Charter.

• Supreme Court oversight on interpretation or application disputes.

• Constitutional recognition of the 2024 mass uprising.

• Justice for victims of the uprising, official recognition of martyrs, and support for the injured.

• Immediate implementation of certain reforms before the next election.

The draft also proposes enshrining the Charter’s supremacy through a constitutional mechanism that would override Article 93(2) of the Constitution, which governs the lifespan of presidential ordinances. Since ordinances cannot amend the Constitution, alternative legal measures are being explored.

Reform Proposals in the Charter
The 82 agreed reforms span two phases of dialogue:

• First phase (62 points of consensus): local government elections, district coordination councils, political party transparency under the Right to Information Act, judicial reforms, anti-corruption measures, and amendments to key laws such as the Income Tax Act and the ACC Act.

• Second phase (20 key reforms): 11 adopted without objection—including changes to parliamentary committee leadership, constituency delimitation, judiciary decentralisation, presidential clemency powers, term limits for the Prime Minister, and expanded fundamental rights.
  Nine reforms were agreed with dissent, covering issues such as amending Article 70 of the Constitution, caretaker government arrangements, women’s parliamentary representation, bicameral legislature proposals, and the powers of the President.

The NCC plans to finalise the draft after receiving final input from political parties and legal experts.