Kathmandu, June 18

The ruling coalition and the main opposition Nepali Congress on Saturday agreed to pass the parliament regulations through the Legislature Parliament by forging consensus on the disputed contents.

The two sides are expected to reach consensus tomorrow and pass the regulations through Parliament on Monday, said sources.

A meeting between Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli and NC President Sher Bahadur Deuba today decided to pass the regulations by forging consensus tomorrow. Oli and Deuba held talks in the presence of NC leader Krishna Prasad Sitaula and UML Deputy Leader Subas Nembang.

“Both parties have agreed to pass the regulations on the basis of consensus. I hope consensus is possible tomorrow and the regulations will be passed,” said Nembang.

PM Oli, Deuba and CPN-Maoist Centre Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal are in regular contact and they hope to resolve the issue through consensus. “I believe the parties will reach consensus by holding internal consultations within their parties tomorrow,” Nembang said.

The three-member taskforce has been holding continuous consultations to resolve the issue. Sitaula, Prakash Sharan Mahat and Radheshyam Adhikari represented the NC; and Nembang and UML and CPN MC’s chief whips Bhanu Bhakta Dhakal and Hita Raj Pande respectively represented the ruling coalition.

Before the meeting between Oli and Deuba, Sitaula and Nembang had met separately.

The parliament has not been able to pass its new regulation after the promulgation of the constitution due to differences between the NC and UML on the strength of the Parliamentary Hearing Special Committee.

It has been more than seven months since the House began drafting the new regulation.

The NC had been pleading for a 75-member PHSC stating that the 15-member PHSC could be formed only after the new Parliament is in place as per the spirit of the new constitution.

The UML, however, wants the PHSC to be a 15-member body from now itself.

UML chief whip Dhakal hinted that the PHSC would be a 15-member body as per the new constitution.

The NC agreed to have a 15-member PHSC after the ruling parties agreed to resend the name of Ram Prasad Sitaula, who was nominated Judicial Council member during the term of the previous Nepali Congress-led government, to the PHSC and endorse his name, sources attending the negotiations said.

PM Oli had withdrawn Sitaula’s name from the PHSC stating that the existing PHSC was now no more as the new parliament regulations were yet to come and the panel ought to be formed as per the new regulations.

Although the Judicial Council nominated 11 justices for the Supreme Court three months ago, they have not been able to join work as their parliamentary hearing is yet to take place.

Parliamentary hearing for Acting Chief Justice Sushila Karki, who was nominated as chief justice, and 22 ambassadorial nominees have also not been conducted due to the same reason.