KATHMANDU: The Parliament on Thursday began discussions on the report of the Impeachment Recommendation Committee over the charges labelled against the then Chief of the Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority, Lok Man Singh Karki.

Taking part in the discussion today, Nepali Congress lawmaker Ram Hari Khatiwada questioned the logic behind the Committee's suggestion that the report should be documented at the National Archives (Rastriya Abhilekhalaya) as well.

In response, the IRC member lawmaker Ram Narayan Bidari clarified that there was no any specific reason behind the suggestion, but keeping a record there would not also do any harm.

Meanwhile, Speaker Onsari Gharti Magar has called lawmakers to put their comments on the report by Sunday.

The seniormost IRC member Kumari Laxmi Rai had tabled the report in the first House meeting today while Bidari had proposed that the House begin discussion on it in the second meeting.

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Earlier, a sub-committee of the House panel had prepared the report concluding that most of the charges made against the former chief of the anti-corruption constitutional body while filing an impeachment motion against him were valid.

It, however, had concluded that Karki should not be impeached now as he had already been removed from the Supreme Court’s January 8 order citing his disqualification for the constitutional position.

The report had suggested that the Parliament could direct concerned bodies to further probe Karki’s involvement in various activities beyond his jurisdiction while in office and take actions accordingly.

The impeachment motion against Karki was registered at the Parliament Secretariat on October 19, 2016 by 157 lawmakers in accordance with Article 101 of the Constitution.

Parliament adjourned till next Thursday

Meanwhile, Speaker Gharti, concluding the meeting today, announced that the next meeting shall be held on next Thursday, March 2.