Speaker Sends Back Constitutional Body Recommendations
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WITHOUT F EAR OR FAVOUR Nepal’s largest selling English daily Vol XXVIII No. 335 | 8 pages | Rs.5 O O Printed simultaneously in Kathmandu, Biratnagar, Bharatpur and Nepalgunj 23.9 C -6.1 C Monday, February 01, 2021 | 19-10-2077 Dipayal Jumla Speaker sends back constitutional body recommendations The Council, headed by prime minister, had appointed office bearers to various constitutional bodies on December 15 after introducing an ordinance. TIKA R PRADHAN Parliamentary hearing is a manda- KATHMANDU, JAN 31 tory process required by the constitu- tion for the appointments made by the Speaker Agni Prasad Sapkota has Constitutional Council. returned the appointment recommen- As per Article 292, parliamentary dations made by the Constitutional hearings shall be conducted for Council on December 15 to the appointments in the offices of the Secretariat of the Constitutional chief justice and judges of the POST PHOTO: MANOJ PAUDEL Council. Supreme Court, members of the Electric cars meant for tours of Lumbini are parked at their charging station. The vehicles, which were donated as part of World Bank’s Clean Energy Project, have been gathering dust for the A meeting of the Constitutional Judicial Council, chiefs and members past two months, as Lumbini Development Trust has yet to secure technical clearance and prepare the modality to operate them. Council, headed by Prime Minister KP of constitutional bodies and offices of Sharma Oli, had recommended 38 ambassadors. office-bearers for 11 constitutional The Parliament Secretariat had bodies, including the Commission for received the Council decision to Investigation of Abuse of Authority appoint office-bearers to 11 constitu- and the National Human Rights tional bodies 43 days ago. ‘Can’t give up hope’: Family of missing man find their Commission. As per Rule 26 (2) of the Joint According to a press statement Parliamentary Meeting Regulation, issued by the Parliament Secretariat, there would be no obstruction for the the recommendations sent for parlia- recommended people to assume office resolve tested after skeletal remains are found in Kuwait mentary hearing have been returned in constitutional bodies if the hearing to the Secretariat of the Constitutional committee fails to take any decision Council because the meeting that within 45 days of receiving the letter While the Kuwaiti authorities are yet to ascertain the identity of the remains, some Nepali media were quick to say they made the recommendations was held from the [Constitutional] Council. without informing the Speaker. The recommendations had run into belonged to Laxmi Sah, who has been missing since November last year, shocking and angering his family members. “The Speaker has sent all the docu- controversy because they were made ments for conducting the parliamenta- after Oli introduced an ordinance on CHANDAN KUMAR MANDAL “Besides his regular job, he would hours of the night. There was no ry hearing to the Secretariat of the the Constitutional Council Act-2010 KATHMANDU, JAN 31 also do part-time jobs whenever he fixed schedule,” said Chhedi Lal, Constitutional Council as they were (Function, Duties and Procedures) on got the opportunity to make some who had flown to Kuwait a day after received on December 20, 2020 after a December 15, amending two Laxmi Sah’s daily routine revolved extra money.” Sah in 2008 and worked for the same meeting of the Council of Ministers provisions which meant the council around his job and flat in Al Sah, 49, was an employee of Al company. that morning decided to dissolve the could convene a meeting if the Farwaniya, Kuwait. He did not have Shimasyah International General According to his friends in House of Representatives,” reads the majority of the existing members any issues with his co-workers or Trading and Contracting Company Kuwait, Sah was making a hand- statement. “The House dissolution attend the meeting and take a decision his flatmates. and had been lately posted as a some income for a Nepali worker. ended the term of the parliamentary on the basis of majority. A meeting of “He was a hard-working man, cleaner at Kuwait International But on the night of November 19, hearing committee too. So there is the council on the evening who could work nonstop for 15-16 Airport. Sah suddenly disappeared. His no way those recommendations can of December 15 had made the recom- hours every day,” said Chhedi Lal “Since the pandemic began, he whereabouts remain unknown. be presented before the committee mendations. Sah, his close friend and a flatmate. would be working from 3am till late >> Continued on page 2 for a hearing” >> Continued on page 2 C M Y K MONDAY, FEBRUARY 01, 2021 | 02 NATIONAL Darchula residents demand Speaker sends back constitutional ... >> CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 the Constitutional Council that nance as various constitutional bodies That meeting was not attended by appointed office-bearers to 11 consti- were without office-bearers and that Speaker Sapkota and leader of the tutional bodies the same day he had he was not getting cooperation from resumption of tuin service main opposition Sher Bahadur Deuba. introduced the ordinance that was the council members, including Prime Minister Oli, Chief Justice swiftly approved by President Bidya Sapkota. Cholendra Shamsher Rana and Devi Bhandari. But by changing the provisions for MANOJ BADU bridges in the area. The residents of Darchula have National Assembly Chairman Ganesh The recommendation decision, convening the meeting and taking DARCHULA, JAN 31 The residents of several settlements been demanding the government to Prasad Timilsina were present. however, had reached the Parliament decisions, Oli had disturbed the bal- above Dhaulakot in Byas have to construct bridges across the Mahakali Article 284 of constitution stipu- Secretariat on December 20, the day ance of the council, as the constitu- The residents of the northern part of cross Mahakali River to reach River for decades. They were elated lates a six-member Constitutional Oli dissolved the House. tion envisioned the composition Darchula district have demanded that Khalanga, the district headquarters with Oli’s declaration to replace tuins Council headed by prime minister. Oli’s House dissolution move result- requiring the presence of the House authorities resume tuin crossings of Darchula. They have to cross the with suspension bridges. But the vil- The chief justice, Speaker, deputy ed in a split in the Nepal Communist Speaker and the leader of the opposi- across the Mahakali River. The gov- river to avail of government services lagers are still awaiting the bridges’ Speaker, National Assembly chair and Party and the other faction is led by tion to ensure the checks and balanc- ernment had put a stop on tuin cross- in Khalanga and to reach the nearest installation. the leader of the main opposition are Pushpa Kamal Dahal and Madhav es. ings amid fear of Covid-19 since marketplaces on the Indian side to buy “We have been urging the govern- the members of the Council. Kumar Nepal. Many believe Oli introduced the March last year. essentials. ment and political leaders to replace Clause 6 (3) of the Constitutional ordinance so that he could appoint Though the KP Sharma government “It takes two days to reach the dis- the risky tuins with bridges since the Council Act (Functions, Duties and people of his choice to some constitu- had announced to replace all tuins trict headquarters if we use foot restoration of democracy in 1990. But Procedures) 2010 had it that at least tional bodies, including the with bridges five years ago, people trails. We can return home from visit- the bridges were never constructed,” five members must be present besides Speaker says he used Commission for Investigation of living in several villages of Darchula ing the district headquarters the same said Jagat Singh Dhami of Byas. prime minister for the Council to con- Abuse of Authority, so that he can are still dependent on tuins, rudimen- day if we are allowed to cross the The Indian government had agreed vene its meeting. Similarly, Clause 6 his inherent right to keep his opponents in the party in tary ropeway crossings, to get across river. Using a tuin is risky, but several to install four suspension bridges at (5) said that a decision must be taken check. Mahakali River. villages are cut off from other towns Badgaun, Madgaun and Maal of Byas based on consensus. as per Article 2 of But now with the Speaker returning The villagers have been left in hard- if the service remains closed,” said Rural Municipality and Baku of Since the deputy Speaker was yet to the recommendations saying that ship as the only alternative to cross Harak Singh Budhthoki of Rapla in Malikarjun Rural Municipality one be elected, one member’s absence the Constitution. with the House dissolution, there is no the river that acts as a natural border Byas-2. and half years ago. The bridge instal- could stop the Constitutional Council parliamentary hearing committee, between Nepal and India remains Government authorities had recom- lation work had started in those places from holding the meeting. there is no clarity as to what happens closed. mended constructing 10 suspension but was halted due to the Covid-19 The new provisions introduced next. “The government has already decid- bridges to replace tuin crossings in pandemic. through the ordinance, however, Speaker Sapkota is considered Some say Speaker’s decision to ed to open the Nepal-India border Darchula after Oli had announced The contractor has requested the meant that even the presence of just Dahal’s close ally. return the recommendations barely which had been sealed since the plans to replace all tuins during his District Administration Office to take three members was enough to convene Sapkota was elected Speaker in makes any difference and that those nationwide lockdown started.