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Speaker’s dubious role

 The Himalayan Times

21 October 2021

Speaker’s dubious role

Nepal has been practicing multi-party political system for almost three decades, with people’s representatives elected to the House of Representatives (HoR) through the ballot. They are supposed to play a crucial role in formulating and amending (if necessary) laws pertaining to national and people’s interests, deliberating on and finalising the national annual plan and budget, and making the government accountable to the HoR. 

 

 Having said this, the on-going session has not been able to function well owing to the irresponsible acts of both the UML lawmakers and the Speaker. In fact, the in-house political power tussle between and among the senior leaders of the then NPC and the UML is the main crux of the on-going house disruption. The real political problem in the then NCP surfaced after Madhav Nepal sided with Prachanda to corner KP Oli, who had started running the government in his own way. They later decided to join hands with the main opposition, the Nepali Congress, to oust Oli’s government resulting in the formation of the present coalition government led by Sher Bahandur Deuba. 

It seems that the on-going House disruption by the UML lawmakers will continue until the Speaker, who seems to be intent on refusing to confirm the expulsion of 14 UML lawmakers, including Madhav Nepal, within the stipulated time, corrects his dubious role of not taking action against them “UML to continue obstructing House proceedings”(THT, October 19, Page 1). The CPN-UML had expelled them for their anti-party activities against the party. This unwanted and irresponsible House disruption by the UML lawmakers since September 8 does not augur well for the country considering the present volatile political situation. For this unfortunate situation, the Speaker must be held equally responsible for playing a dubious role.

Rai Biren Bangdel

Maharajgunj 

https://epaper.thehimalayantimes.com/html5/reader/production/default.aspx?pubname=&pubid=cd7278e2-4150-475f-8abe-305e5ed57783 

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