Kathmandu: The ruling coalition parties mainly Nepali Congress and CPN-UML have initiated a signature campaign to impeach Deputy Speaker Indira Rana Magar.
This move followed discussions on the issue during a meeting of the ruling coalition parties in Baluwatar on Monday afternoon.
On Tuesday, Nepali Congress whip Sushila Thing collected signatures from MPs in the House of Representatives. She approached the UML MPs and gathered their signatures for the campaign.
Neither Congress nor UML leaders have officially confirmed the campaign’s progress.“The work is still in its early stages. However, discussions on the Deputy Speaker issue have been advanced within the coalition,” said a UML leader.
A UML MP, who has signed the petition to remove the Deputy Speaker, indicated that the proposal would be submitted either Wednesday or Thursday.
“We have collected signatures within the Parliament meeting and are preparing to submit the proposal soon. The process of removal is already underway,” the MP told Khabarhub.
Sources reveal that Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli proposed the removal of Deputy Speaker Rana during Monday’s meeting. This proposal is a joint effort between UML and Nepali Congress.
Deputy Speaker Rana has been embroiled in controversy due to a letter she wrote to the American Embassy in Kathmandu, requesting a visa interview for herself and five others.
The ruling parties have cited this controversy as part of their rationale for her removal.
The removal strategy, led by Prime Minister Oli and Nepali Congress President Sher Bahadur Deuba, is partly driven by their lack of majority in the Constitutional Council.
Decisions in the Constitutional Council require a majority vote.Currently, the Council, chaired by the Prime Minister, includes the Chief Justice, the Speaker, the Speaker of the National Assembly, the Leader of the Opposition, and the Deputy Speaker.
The opposition, including Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’, National Assembly Speaker Narayan Dahal, and Deputy Speaker Rana, are not aligned with the government’s interests.
Since becoming Prime Minister, KP Oli secured a two-thirds majority vote of confidence from the House of Representatives.
With 188 votes out of 275 MPs, Oli achieved the necessary two-thirds majority.However, it remains unclear if this majority will be sufficient for removing Deputy Speaker Rana.
The current coalition government is supported by Nepali Congress, UML, Janata Samajwadi Party, Janamat Party, JSP Nepal, Loktantrik Samajwadi Party, and the Nagarik Unmukti Party.
According to Article 91, Sub-section 6(c) of the Constitution, the position of Deputy Speaker can be vacated if a resolution is passed by a two-thirds majority of the House of Representatives, stating that the Deputy Speaker has not adhered to the appropriate conduct for the position.
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