Kathmandu, May 14: Speaker Devraj Ghimire today sat for talks with chief whips and whips of major political parties in a bid to build an atmosphere for running the House proceedings smoothly. In the meeting held at the Speaker’s Office, Singha Durbar, the Speaker expressed his concern over the situation suggesting the possibility of obstructions in the upcoming HoR session in the absence of an understanding among the political parties.
He said the arrival of such a situation in the absence of political consensus was not expected when the House is scheduled to discuss the government policies and programmes for the upcoming fiscal year, and the budget as well.
The Speaker drew the attention of political parties towards the possibility of effects on House business and a constitutional crisis due to a prolonged parliament impasse. It may be noted that the major opposition Nepali Congress (NC) continues to obstruct the House proceedings demanding the formation of a parliamentary committee to probe the alleged role of Home Minister Rabi Lamichhane, the Chairperson of Rastriya Swatantra Party, in the misappropriation of the cooperative funds.
However, the NC has said it will be allowing the presentation of the government’s new policies and programmes for the upcoming fiscal year in a joint sitting of the Federal Parliament today and continuing the obstructions thereafter. President Ramchandra Paudel is scheduled to present the government’s new policies and programmes in the joint session of the parliament later today.
Party whip Sushila Thing said the party will be supporting the presentation of the policies and programmes and it will obstruct the meeting summoned thereafter to table a thanksgiving proposal. “Our protests will continue until our demand to form the parliamentary probe committee is addressed.”
RSP’s Chief Whip Santosh Pariyar stressed that the NC should reconsider its decision to continue the House obstructions. “Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister Rabi Lamichhane was granted time by the Speaker to put his views in the previous meeting, but he could not air his views due to the obstructions. He should be allowed to put his views in today’s meeting as the continuity of the past,” he said.
During the meeting, the Speaker apprised the political parties of the agenda of today’s parliament’s joint session and a session of the House of Representatives. Deputy Speaker Indira Rana, Minister for Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs, Padam Giri, CPN (UML)’s chief whip Mahesh Bartaula and CPN (Maoist Centre)’s chief whip Hitaraj Pandey were among those present in the meeting with the Speaker.
Meanwhile, National Assembly Chairperson Narayana Prasad Dahal will be today sitting for discussions with leaders of political parties representing the upper house to seek ways to operate the NA business amidst the obstructions in the HoR.
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