'Sudden prorogation of House tramples public voices'

Kathmandu - (Narayan Neupane) The prorogation of the ongoing Parliament session without consultation with the stakeholders on Thursday has rippled the pro-federalist and pro-parliamentary forces. At a time when the meeting of the National Assembly was running, a letter from the Office of the President arrived at the Federal Parliament Secretariat that stated the prorogation of the ongoing budget session of the Federal Parliament.

The Speaker of the House of Representatives (HoR) himself was unaware of this development. It not only created waves on political circle but also drew attention from the political analysts and legal experts. Likewise, opposition Nepali Congress is also not very happy with the government's decision to prorogue the House session as a result of the intra-party feuds in the ruling Nepal Communist Party.

This year's budget session continued for 56 days and 26 meetings of the HoR took place during the period. The next meeting of the HoR was summoned for July 6 but the House session was suspended abruptly. However, the decision taken by the government without informing the Speaker, National Assembly Chairperson and main opposition party is perceived as an unusual move by the experts of the constitutional laws.

In this session, 14 bills including four private ones in the HoR were registered while there were five bills registered in the National Assembly. During the period, eight bills were passed and 19 others are under consideration. Ruling Nepal Communist Party's lawmaker Haribol Gajurel said an unease situation was created as the parliament session was prorogued all of a sudden at a time when the parliament was expected to finalize seven important bills including the bill on citizenship.

He said the issues of public concerns should not have impacted from the intraparty feuds. "The established notion to end the House session after consulting the Speaker is ruptured. The dignity and honour of the post of the Speaker is hurt," he argued. Similarly, General Secretary of Samajbadi Party Ramsahay Prasad Yadav argued the move as undemocratic. Talking to the National News Agency (RSS), he said abrupt prorogation of the budget session of federal parliament was not good as the House had some important business including on citizenship bill and civil service bill.

It shows the irresponsibility of the government on important issues. Similarly, Rastriya Janata Party Chief Whip Laxman Lal Karna argued that the latest move of the government to suspend ongoing session was not appropriate as important bills were under discussion. He added that it was unexpected to prorogue the session without consulting the House Speaker and it has curtailed peoples’ voice.

Likewise, Nepali Congress Whip Pushpa Bhusal said sudden end of the session is not good as it is a platform to make the government accountable. She said that the citizenship bill and civil service bill were ready for finalization in the session. Rastriya Janamorcha lawmaker Durga Poudel opined that the untimely end of the budget session was not logical. Speaker and other political party leaders should have been consulted before reaching to any conclusion.

However, Nepal Workers and Peasants Party lawmaker Prem Suwal said there is a convention that government gives agenda to parliament and summons and ends it. So, the parliament session may have been ended as per the law, he responded. Rastriya Prajatantra Party lawmaker Rajendra Lingden said the abrupt prorogation of the parliament session is the reflection of political mess. There are eight bills under discussion in the House.