The third session of the Federal Parliament began with Speaker Krishna Bahadur Mahara’s welcome note, followed by a letter from the Office of the President about the session call.

This session, also known as the ‘bill session’ discusses drafts of bills and their endorsements. It seeks to amend or replace existing laws that are not in accordance with the Nepali Constitution.

As part of the proceedings, Nepal political parties’ leaders and members have already started giving their suggestions.

Deuba Storms Session With Allegations
On the same day, Nepali Congress President Sher Bahadur Deuba warned the government of a ‘stormy session’.

Deuba slammed the incumbent government for its approach towards certain issues.

Starting with the controversial Nirmala Panta case, he said that the Government failed to maintain peace and security and alleged that it was responsible for protecting those involved in the victim’s rape and murder.

“The police are torturing innocent people in an attempt to extract confessions in the Nirmala case,” he added.

Deuba pointed out that the government was not honest in implementing federalism or amending the constitution. Adding further, he said that the government was not able to win the confidence of Janajatis, Madhesis and Tharus with regard to the constitution amendment.

He also listed the transitional justice process, civil servants rearrangement and purchase of two wide-body aircraft, among other government negligence.

Commenting on the civil service scenario Deuba said, “The government is trying to scare civil servants. It should have tried to enact a new civil service act through the Parliament without taking the ordinance route”.

“We are not going to let those who embezzled government money go scot-free,” he added while calling on the government’s approach to the purchase of the wide-body aircraft.

Criticism From Various Opposition Parties
Rashtriya Janata Party Nepal Presidium Coordinator Rajendra Mahato and Naya Shakti Party’s Baburam Bhattarai also joined Deuba in criticizing the government.

“The government should pursue a balanced foreign policy,” Mahato said while talking of government approach in dealing with international affairs, which he alleges has sparked friction in the international community.

Mahato also raised displeasure over the government’s opinion against lawmaker Resham Chaudhary’s oath of office and secrecy.

Dahal, however, maintained a neutral stance when he said that the opposition and ruling parties should work together to enact new laws and implement the new constitution.

“We cannot even imagine authoritarianism. We won’t abandon the democratic system because we fought for democratic values,” he added.

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According to Farmullah Mansoor, the Minister of Labor and Employment, the Government of Nepal is planning to ensure a two-third majority for the constitution amendment bill before putting it for voting in the Parliament. He said that the government has been receiving a positive response in this regard from various parties.

Leaders from the Nepali Congress (NC), CPN (Maoist Centre) & opposition CPN-UML are meeting at Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba’s residence today to try and resolve the constitution amendment crisis.

In a meeting held on Saturday, the NC, CPN (MC) and Rastriya Janata Party-Nepal, which are part of the coalition government, had agreed to pass the bill within a week.

CPN-MC Chief Whip Tek Bahadur Basnet has said that their party would continue to hold unilateral, bilateral and multilateral meetings with all political forces to garner a two-third majority in the House in support of the bill.

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Rastriya Janata Party Nepal has decided to register the party at the Election Commission (EC) today.

Keshav Jha, a general secretary of the unified party, said that they are going to the EC to officially register the unified party because they had not registered the unified party at the EC after the merger of six parties to form RJPN.

The party registration is a part of regular process and the party still demands amendment of the constitution prior to the local level elections in Province 2 slated for September 18, 2017, he added.

Manish Suman, another general secretary of the party, also said that the party is going to the EC to officially inform the constitutional body about the merger of the six parties.

Suman said that party’s registration at the EC is a regular process, but they will participate in the elections only if their demands are addressed through constitution amendment.

The RJPN boycotted the first and the second phase of local elections demanding constitution amendment first, but its cadres in various districts stood in the election as independent candidates.

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Madhesi Activist Dr. Chandra Kant Raut a.k.a. C K Raut, who has been campaigning for an independent Madhes spanning twenty districts of Nepal, requested Rastriya Janata Party (RJP) to help its supporters to vote in such a way that their votes become invalid. The statement was made when Madhes-based RJP looking to boycott the second round of local level election scheduled for June 28.

Raut has written to Mahanth Thakur, Rastriya Janata Party (RJP) chief, saying that the elections should be used as a chance to give a severe moral blow to the constitution.

Raut, who is known for his speeches and uncontrolled verbal against Nepal, cautioned RJP against violence to obstruct the elections. He asked the party to send over 50 percent of voters for invalid voting.

Raut’s request for the peaceful protest comes in the middle of RJP’s protest in various areas of the country to reiterate its demand for constitutional amendment to address Madhes problems before June 28.

RJP leaders have told the Nepali Congress and Maoist Party coalition government to postpone the elections if they fail to make constitutional amendment immediately.

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The party cadres have damaged four vehicles in Biratnagar of Morang district for not supporting the banda.

Normal life was partially affected in the city as public transport services, marketplaces, educational institutions remained closed because of strike. Police said that no unpleasant events were filed so far, but the impact of the banda is slowly growing. Opposing the second phase of local polls, the party called for a three-day general strike in Terai districts.

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