House panel confers on appointments in EC

Kathmandu, October 16:

The Parliamentary Hearing Committee (HC) today urged people to send their reactions about the proposed name of Bhoj Raj Pokhrel for the post of Chief Election Commissioner (CEC).

The meeting of the HC held under the chairmanship of MP Bharat Mohan Adhikary urged people to send their reactions within three days about Pokhrel’s proposed name. “We are going to appoint a new CEC; so there is an urgent need to know the people’s reactions about Pokhrel’s name,” said Adhikary. He said the HC would send the issue back to the government within 10 days with their version after discussion. “We want to appoint a fair and competent CEC; so we want to discuss on names,” he added.

The HC also called a meeting tomorrow to discuss on the name of two other proposed names of Dr Nilkantha Uprety and Usha Nepal for the post of election commissioners. This is the first time that the HC started hearing on appointments in the Constitution Council.

The Office of the Prime Minister and Cabinet had sent the names to the HC to discuss whether they are fit for the job or not. Immediately after getting the names, the HC today began hearing from today. This is the first time in this country that parliamentary hearing is begun for constitutional bodies appointment.

MP Adhikary, Lilamani Pokhrel, Pashupati Chaulagain have claimed that they are not going to appoint the CEC and ECs according to the 1990 Constitution, but as per the historic declaration of the House passed on May 18 and Rule 209 of the Regulation of the House of Representatives 2063. Following the promulgation of the House of Representatives Regulation 2063, there is a need to discuss in the HC before any appointment in any constitutional body.