KATHMANDU, SEPTEMBER 12

CPN-UML lawmakers obstructed proceedings of both the houses of the Parliament, accusing Speaker Agni Prasad Sapkota of being biased against their party.

UML lawmakers alleged that Sapkota facilitated a split in the UML by not confirming the expulsion of 14 UML lawmakers, including Madhav Kumar Nepal. Nepal split the party and formed a new party - CPN (Unified Socialist) after the government brought a new ordinance lowering the threshold for splitting political parties.

UML lawmakers swarmed the House well as soon as Sapkota commenced proceedings of the House of Representatives today, chanting slogans demanding that supremacy of the constitution and dignity of the Parliament be maintained.

Sapkota adjourned the House for 15 minutes, but in the second meeting also UML lawmakers continued their protest forcing Sapkota to adjourn the meeting till Tuesday.

Sapkota repeatedly requested protesting lawmakers to end their obstruction in order to allow other lawmakers to enjoy their rights and raise their electorates' concerns in the House, but UML lawmakers refused to budge from their stance.

Sapkota urged lawmakers to come to the negotiating table to find a solution to the stalemate in the House.

According to Assistant Spokesperson for the Parliament Secretariat Dasharath Dhamala, Sapkota has summoned an all-party meeting for tomorrow in a bid to end the stalemate in the House that began on September 8 when the new session of the Parliament began.

Earlier, a meeting of the UML Parliamentary Party had decided to continue their protest in Parliament.

A version of this article appears in the print on September 13 2021, of The Himalayan Times.