Even though the ordinances issued by the government in the absence of House meetings need to be tabled in the first session of the House of Representatives, as many as seven ordinances have not been tabled as of today.
The third meeting of the House of Representatives, since the Supreme Court ruled that Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli’s decision to dissolve the house was unconstitutional, is scheduled for today.
Political parties have disagreed to discuss the ordinances issued by the government at today’s House meeting stating that they were not discussed during the first meeting despite legal provision to do so.
During the first House meeting held after its reinstatement on March 7, primary opposition party Nepali Congress had obstructed the House after the Constitutional Council (Work, Duties, Rights and Procedures) Ordinance (First Amendment) was pushed for discussion. Three protest notices have been registered against the ordinance.
Article 93 of the Rules of Procedure of the House of Representatives 2075 BS mandates that all ordinances introduced by the government in the absence of Parliamentary meetings should be presented in the first meeting of the resumed House session.
Nepali Congress had obstructed the first House meeting stating that the ordinances issued by the government from outside the Parliament was against the spirit of the constitution.
Though House Speaker Agni Prasad Sapkota convened a meeting of the Business Advisory Committee on Monday to decide the agenda for Tuesday’s House meeting, the ordinances will not be tabled during today’s meeting as the Law Minister himself was not ready to do so, informed Nepali Congress leader Pushpa Bhusal.
Political parties present at Monday’s Business Advisory Committee meeting had discussed about suspending Article 93 and presenting the ordinances at today’s meeting, but no decision could be made after Law Minister Leela Shrestha said that the matter needs to be discussed with the Prime Minister.
Though Minister Shrestha had said that he would come up with the Prime Minister’s response on the matter by 10:00 am Tuesday, PM Oli is busy with his grand tea program in Baluwatar today.
The Parliament Secretariat has listed nomination of MPs to chair the meeting and pass a condolence motion on the demise of former MP Dinesh Chandra Yadav as agenda for today’s House meeting.
Ordinances that need approval from the Parliament include Nepal Police and State Police (Operation, Supervision and Coordination) (First Amendment) Ordinance, 2077 BS; Social Security (First Amendment) Ordinance, 2077; Acid and Other Hazardous Chemicals (Regulation) Ordinance, 2077; Medicine (Third Amendment) Ordinance, 2077; Ordinance to amend some acts related to criminal offenses and criminal procedure, 2077 BS; Ordinance to amend some acts against sexual violence, 2077; and Commission for Investigation, Verification and Reconciliation of Disappeared Persons (Third Amendment) Ordinance, 2077 BS.
