Prime Minister and Ministers Absent During Budget Discussions in Parliament

Kathmandu. The tradition of the Prime Minister and ministers being absent during budget discussions in parliament has continued as before. The trend of even the Prime Minister and ministers from Rastriya Swatantra Party, considered different from old political parties, being absent during budget discussions in the House of Representatives has increased. Because of this, on Monday and Tuesday, MPs repeatedly went to the House of Representatives meeting to search for ministers. 

During the ministry-wise budget discussions, opposition MPs searched for ministers, stating that the concerned ministers themselves were absent, forcing Speaker DP Aryal to postpone the meeting for 15 minutes on both days. 

In Tuesday's meeting, MPs put forward the demand that Prime Minister Balen Shah should be present during the discussion of the budget for the Ministry of Defense, the Office of the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers, the National Planning Commission Secretariat, the Office of the Vice President, and the Office of the President. 

They raised the issue that the presence of the concerned minister is mandatory in the House of Representatives Regulations, and due to the provision that the concerned minister must be present in the meeting, the Speaker had to postpone the meeting and search for the minister. 

Rule 6, Sub-rule 5 of the House of Representatives Regulations states, 'The presence of ministers in the meeting shall be mandatory, and when discussing matters related to any ministry, the concerned minister shall also be compulsorily present.' 

In accordance with this provision, during the discussion of the budget for the Ministry of Defense, the Office of the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers, the National Planning Commission Secretariat, the Office of the Vice President, and the Office of the President in today's meeting, Prime Minister Balendra Shah must be present. 

Accordingly, the agenda for Tuesday's meeting includes discussions on the budget for the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation, the Ministry of Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs, the Ministry of Infrastructure Development, the Ministry of Home Affairs, the Ministry of Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of Defense, the Office of the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers, the National Planning Commission Secretariat, and the Offices of the President and Vice President. However, on Tuesday, CPN MP Gopal Sharma and on Monday, UML MP Rajendra Rai stated that the budget discussions could not proceed due to the absence of the concerned ministers. Following that, the meeting was adjourned.