Dol Prasad Aryal Elected Unopposed as 10th Speaker of the House of Representatives

Kathmandu. Dol Prasad (DP) Aryal, Vice-Chairman of the Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP), has been elected unopposed as the 10th Speaker of the House of Representatives.

He was elected unopposed after being the sole candidate during the nomination registration held at the Parliament Secretariat in Singha Durbar on Friday. He was elected from Kathmandu-9 in the recently concluded House of Representatives member election.

In Nepal's parliamentary history, the House of Representatives has had 10 Speakers. The first general election was held in 2015 BS. After the Nepali Congress secured a two-thirds majority in that election, party president and parliamentary party leader BP Koirala became Prime Minister on 2016 Jestha 13. The first meeting of the House of Representatives was held on 2016 Ashar 16, and on 2016 Ashar 18, Krishna Prasad Bhattarai, a founding leader of the Nepali Congress, became the first Speaker.

About a year and a half later, on 2017 Poush 1, then-King Mahendra used military force to overthrow the government led by the popularly elected Prime Minister BP Koirala, imprisoned the Prime Minister and available ministers, dissolved the parliament, and also imprisoned Speaker Bhattarai. Thereafter, until 2046 Chaitra 26, the country was ruled under the partyless Panchayat system. During that time, political parties were banned. In the Panchayat system, the parliament was known as the Rastriya Panchayat, which was not led by a Speaker, but by a Chairman.

Following the 2046 People's Movement led by the Nepali Congress and leftist parties, the multiparty system was restored, and Bhattarai, the first Speaker and then-acting president of the Nepali Congress, became Prime Minister. Under his leadership, the Constitution of the Kingdom of Nepal, 2047 was promulgated. Bhattarai passed away on 2067 Falgun 20.

The general election was held in 2048 BS. The Nepali Congress secured a clear majority in that election. Daman Nath Dhungana became the second Speaker in parliamentary history. Congress leader and human rights activist Dhungana served as Speaker from 2048 to 2051 Ashoj. Dhungana passed away on 2081 Mangsir 2.

In the 2051 midterm election, the CPN-UML became the largest party with 88 seats. UML Chairman Man Mohan Adhikari became Prime Minister. At that time, Congress leader Ram Chandra Paudel was elected as the third Speaker. He is currently the President. Paudel served as Speaker from 2051 to 2055 BS.

The fourth Speaker of Nepal was also a Congress leader—Taranath Ranabhat. The Congress had won a majority in the 2056 general election. Although then-King Gyanendra dissolved the House of Representatives in Jestha 2059 on the recommendation of then-Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba, Ranabhat remained Speaker until 2063 Baishakh due to the constitutional arrangements of the time. After the House of Representatives, which was dissolved four years earlier, was restored by the strength of the second People's Movement planned by the seven parties and the Maoists, Ranabhat was relieved of his duties.

After that, a communist leader had the good fortune to become Speaker for the first time—CPN-UML leader Subas Chandra Nembang succeeded in becoming Speaker. During the transition period of ending the monarchy and institutionalizing the republic, he served as Speaker for the longest time, about eight years. Nembang first became Speaker on 2063 Baishakh 30.

Nembang, who served as Speaker and Chairman of the Constituent Assembly from 2065 Shrawan 12 to 2069 Jestha 14, held both roles again after the second Constituent Assembly election, from 2070 Falgun 6 to 2072 Ashoj 27. On 2072 Ashoj 3, the Constitution of Nepal, which institutionalized the Federal Democratic Republic, was promulgated under his leadership. Nembang, who had the rare privilege of being the Constituent Assembly Chairman, passed away on 2080 Bhadra 26.

As the sixth Speaker, Onsari Gharti Magar of the then CPN (Maoist) served from 2072 Ashoj 29 to 2074 Ashoj 29. Having served as Deputy Speaker during the promulgation of the constitution, Onsari Gharti Magar made history by becoming the first female Speaker.

Similarly, Krishna Bahadur Mahara of the CPN (Maoist) was elected as the seventh Speaker. Mahara served as Speaker from 2074 Falgun 27 to 2076 Ashoj 14. While Mahara was in office, he was removed from his post after a female staff member of the secretariat accused him of sexual harassment. However, the court has already acquitted him.

After Mahara was removed, Agni Prasad Sapkota from the Maoist party succeeded in becoming the eighth Speaker. He served as Speaker from 2076 Magh 12 until 2079.

After the 2079 general election, UML leader Devraj Ghimire became the ninth Speaker. The House of Representatives was dissolved due to the Gen-Z movement in Bhadra. In the election held on Falgun 21, Ghimire was defeated in Jhapa-2 by Indira Rana, who had been the Deputy Speaker during his own tenure as Speaker.

What will be the future of the 10th Speaker, Aryal, who is the first to become Speaker from outside the Congress and Communist parties?