• Budget today • CPN-UML not to obstruct proceedings

Kathmandu, May 28

The Parliament today passed through voice vote the government’s policy and programmes that President Bidhya Devi Bhandari unveiled on Thursday. The main opposition party, CPN-UML, however, neither opposed the policy and programmes nor supported them.

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance Krishna Bahadur Mahara tabled the Economic Survey 2017/18 today after ruling parties’ lawmakers Min Bahadur Bishwakarma and Tek Bahadur Basnet wrote a letter to Speaker Onsari Gharti Magar, requesting her not to proceed with impeachment motion filed against Chief Justice Sushila Karki.

“We urge you not to proceed with the impeachment motion keeping in mind the political situation,” the two lawmakers stated in their letter.

The ruling parties had agreed yesterday to withdraw impeachment motion filed against CJ Karki as demanded by the CPN-UML.

A total of 249 lawmakers from the NC and the CPN-MC had registered the impeachment motion against CJ Karki. Bishwakarma had proposed the motion, which was seconded by Basnet. But yesterday the ruling parties agreed to withdraw the impeachment motion as demanded by the CPN-UML.

UML lawmaker Rewati Raman Bhandari told THT it was agreed that the ruling parties would withdraw the impeachment motion citing Rule 82 of Parliamentary Regulation, but Basnet and Bishwakarma just requested the speaker not to proceed with the impeachment motion.

“We’ll not obstruct the House proceedings tomorrow but will oppose this move of the ruling parties from Tuesday,” he added.

Impeachment Recommendation Committee member Ram Narayan Bidari said Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal and Nepali Congress President Sher Bahadur Deuba urged Bishwakarma and Basnet to withdraw the impeachment motion, following which they wrote a letter to the speaker. “But what the two lawmakers have stated in the letter is not supported by any rule. The speaker may ask the two lawmakers which rule they want to apply. She can take  a call on the issue after they respond,” Bidari added.

Speaker Onsari Gharti Magar later adjourned the House till tomorrow.

Finance Minister Mahara will present a new fiscal budget in the House when it meets tomorrow at 4:00pm.

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