Kathmandu, August 17

Lawmakers, representing the ruling and opposition parties, have criticised the government for remaining silent on lawmaker’s questions raised in the House of Representatives.

The ongoing fourth session of the Federal Parliament received hundreds of questions from lawmakers, but the ministers have not answered any of them till date.

The HoR regulations state that the concerned ministers shall answer the questions raised by lawmakers within five days in the House. However, the ministries, including the Office of the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers, have not addressed lawmakers’ concerns till date.

On June 6, ruling Nepal Communist Party (NCP) lawmaker BirodhKhatiwada had drawn the attention of the Speaker saying that Zero Hour in the House had become meaningless.

The main opposition Nepali Congress lawmaker

Gagan Kumar Thapa, on August 11, during Zero Hour, said that it would be useless

if the government didn’t answer the questions raised by the lawmakers in the House. “The government should follow the regulations of the House,” he added.

Rastriya Janata Party-Nepal lawmaker LaxmanLalKarna told THT that the government should follow the House regulations. “Ministers are responsible for this. They must answer the questions raised by lawmakers,” he added.

Parliamentary experts former speaker Daman NathDhungana and former secretary general Surya KiranGurung told THT that the speaker should play crucial role in implementing regulations effectively. He said Speaker Krishna BahadurMahara should be able to make the government accountable towards the Parliament.

Gurung also added that the ruling party should also respect democratic norms and values and act accordingly.

“It will set a bad example for parliamentary practice. The ruling party must realise that in the future they might also have to play the role of opposition lawmakers,” he said.

DilliMalla, press adviser of Speaker Mahara, said that the concerned ministers had already been alerted to follow the HoR regulations.