• The House will pass the HoR business rules by May 10 after holding discussions on the rules

Kathmandu May 6

The budget session of the Parliament commenced at 4:00 pm today, with meetings of both chambers — the House of Representatives and the National Assembly.

Minister of Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Sher Bahadur Tamang, Home Minster Ram Bahadur Thapa and Education, Science and Technology Minister Giriraj Mani Pokharel presented ordinances related to their respective ministries in both houses.

Education Minister Pokharel presented the medical education ordinance in both houses while Home Minister Thapa presented the National Assembly election ordinance in the National Assembly.

On behalf of Home Minister Thapa, Law Minister Tamang presented the NA election ordinance in the Lower House. Tamang presented the ordinance related to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission and Commission of the Investigation on the Enforced Disappeared Persons and ordinance related to  pay and perks of the secretary general and secretaries of the Parliament in both houses. The HoR and National Assembly have appointed separate secretaries recently.

As per the constitutional provisions these ordinances should be endorsed by the Parliament within two months.

Speaker Krishna Bahadur Mahara and NA Chair Ganesh Prasad Timilsina read out in the Lower House and Upper House, respectively, the letter sent by President Bidhya Devi Bhandari in which she had notified the houses about the budget session of the Parliament.

Chair of House of Representatives Rules Drafting Committee lawmaker Krishna Bhakta Pokharel submitted the rules draft to the Lower House, while National Assembly Business Rules Drafting Committee Chair Parshu Ram Meghi Gurung submitted the draft to the National Assembly today.

According to Federal Parliament Secretariat, the House will pass the HoR business rules by May 10 after holding discussions on the rules. Speaker Krishna Bahadur Mahara has given lawmakers time to register amendments till Tuesday, if any.

Minister of Finance Yubraj Khatiwada will present the budgetary theory and priorities between May 9 and 11, according to Parliament Secretariat. President Bhandari will address the joint session of the Parliament and present the government policy and programmes in the third week of May. The House will discuss and pass the government’s policy and programmes in the third week of May after Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli responds to lawmakers’ queries on the government’s policy and programmes.

As per the constitutional provision, the government will present the new fiscal budget on May 29 and lawmakers will take part in budgetary discussions from May 31 for a week.

Finance Minister Khatiwada will respond to lawmakers’ queries on the budget in the first week of June after discussions on the budget begin. The House will begin discussion on ministries’ headings from the first week of June which will end in the first week of July by passing the appropriation bill, bill to raise domestic debt and loan and bonds bill.

Parliamentary panels will be formed after the second week of July. HoR business rules committee has recommended 10 parliamentary committees and National Assembly business rules committee has recommended four Upper House committees.

The government will have to prepare 110 bills on 41 subjects related to fundamental rights and duties of citizens.

The constitution states that the government will enact federal laws within three years of the promulgation of the constitution to implement all the fundamental rights ensured in the constitution. The budgetary session of Parliament will have to pass bills related to implementation of the constitution, particularly those concerning fundamental rights. The deadline ends on September 18.

According to the Parliament Secretariat, from the second week of July, the House will deal with bills related to implementation of the constitution.

The next meeting of the HoR will be held at 1:00pm on Wednesday and National Assembly meeting will be held tomorrow at 11:00am.