KATHMANDU, MARCH 20

CPN-UML has passed the amended statute of its parliamentary party, on Saturday.

The amendment was passed by the UML's parliamentary party meeting held today at the official residence of Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli, also the CPN-UML chairperson.

The parliamentary party, on Thursday, had formed a three-member taskforce to amend the party's statute. The task force -- coordinated by UML Chief Whip Bishal Bhattarai and comprising lawmakers Sher Bahadur Tamang and Bimala Rai Paudel as its members -- presented a proposal for the statute amendment.

The meeting approved the proposal, giving a green signal for the statute amendment.

According to Chief Whip Bhattarai, the statute which was formed in 2072 BS, five years ago, required amendment as it had become outdated. He added that as per the amended statute, any lawmaker belonging to the party who works against party decisions and welfare can be suspended for a maximum period of six months, among other provisions.

Earlier, deputy parliamentary party leader Subas Chandra Nembang had stated that the party statute also needed amendment to ensure representation of the party's parliamentary office bearers in the National Assembly, particularly chief whip and whip, in the parliamentary board.

Thursday's meeting of the UML's parliamentary party also formed a 27-member parliamentary board led by PM Oli. The board also includes deputy parliamentary party leader Nembang, Chief Whip Bhattarai, Whip Shanta Chaudhary, as well as leaders of the dissenting faction within the party -- Madhav Kumar Nepal and Jhalanath Khanal

While names of 24 members in the board have been finalised, three members will be nominated at a later date.