A/HRC/7/68 page 12 week or more, then handed over to police or released. Perpetrators of abuses were largely not held accountable. Two CPN(M) cadres were also reportedly expelled from the party and, exceptionally, handed over to police after an 18-year-old youth was beaten to death for unknown reasons in Bhojpur District in March. 46. OHCHR has repeatedly raised its concerns regarding abductions and related abuses with CPN(M) at all levels, stressing that such abuses undermine CPN(M) commitments to respect human rights. G. Non-discrimination 47. Long-standing discrimination, on the basis of caste, ethnicity, gender, geographic and other considerations, has emerged as one of the most critical issues affecting the peace process. The Government has extensive international obligations with regard to non-discrimination, including with regard to the right of individuals to participate in the conduct of public affairs directly or through chosen representatives. Resolving this issue, including political participation and representation, to the satisfaction of the different groups concerned will be central to creating an environment conducive to free and fair elections. Deep-rooted discrimination cannot, however, be eradicated by Constituent Assembly elections alone. Long-term measures are needed, including the implementation of existing legislation outlawing discriminatory practices and the amendment of other discriminatory legal provisions. 48. The Comprehensive Peace Agreement committed both parties to addressing discrimination and women’s rights. The interim Constitution included, for the first time, provisions prohibiting untouchability and racial discrimination. The Citizenship Act adopted in November 2006 allowed more than 2 million people to obtain citizenship certificates for the first time, including in the Terai. Some concerns remained about discriminatory provisions against women in the Act, and about certain Madheshi, Dalit and Muslim communities, and women from these communities being unable to obtain citizenship certificates. 49. A total of 335 of the 601 seats of the Constituent Assembly will be filled through the proportional representation system. The Constituent Assembly Election Act contains complex provisions requiring marginalized groups to be proportionally represented in political parties’ candidate lists, with 50 per cent of those elected through proportional representation to be women. At least 33 per cent of all candidates are to be women. Many groups, however, have deemed these steps insufficient and protests have continued as marginalized groups press the Government to take more significant measures to address their demands. 50. Despite commitments to inclusiveness, social exclusion remains a major problem. Madheshis, Dalits, Janajatis and other marginalized groups continue to be severely underrepresented in most political party central committees, and in most State and civil service structures including courts, law enforcement agencies and local authorities. Some measures have been taken, including the nomination in January 2008 of five Madheshis as chief district officers; a new Civil Service Bill adopted in August, reserving 45 per cent of designated posts for women, Madheshi, Janajati/Adivasi - the so-called “backward” (namely, remote or underdeveloped) regions - Dalits, and disabled persons; and in mid-November, the amendment of Nepal Police and Armed Police Force regulations to reserve quotas of posts for women and marginalized groups.