Law Minister Urges MPs to Focus Discussions on Public Interest Issues

Kathmandu. Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Sobita Gautam has urged the members of parliament to focus discussions only on public interest and assigned topics. Speaking at the meeting of the Law, Justice and Human Rights Committee under the House of Representatives of the Federal Parliament held at Singha Durbar on Monday, Minister Gautam clarified that MPs need to hold topic-focused discussions to make the parliament and parliamentary committees effective. Minister Gautam stated that the government would be compelled to provide clear answers if the MPs present their views by focusing on the agenda. Mentioning that the government is sensitive to every issue raised by the MPs, she recalled that to expect a concrete answer from the government, one must focus on the main subject of the meeting. 'If we come prepared and focus on the agenda from now on, the government can also prepare its position and come with clear answers to your questions,' said Minister Gautam, 'That is why I have urged the committee members to discuss by focusing on the agenda.' Similarly, Minister Gautam said that time management and discipline are important to make the work of the parliament and parliamentary committees effective. She stated that the time allocated for speaking in the full meeting of the parliament should not be misused in the committee where there is no time limit. She clarified that the meaning of not having a strict time limit when presenting topics in the committee is not to speak for a long time beyond the limits of discipline. Stating that prolonging the meeting indefinitely would not yield results, she said that it would be easier to address public interest issues only by raising topics within a certain frame. Urging to work within the rules of parliament and debate only on the main agenda, she said that the objective of the committee would be fulfilled only by proceeding with consideration for time.