Kathmandu, July 11

The Ministry of Federal Affairs and Local Development has issued the model Village/Municipal Assembly Operation Procedure, 2017.

As per the procedure, chief of municipality or rural municipality shall call the first session of its assembly within a month from the date of declaration of the final results of the election. Thereafter chairperson or the head of local levels may call the meeting of the assembly from time to time, but the gap between the two sessions shall not exceed six months.

“The chairperson shall conduct and end the meeting of the assembly according to the agenda. Generally, the duration of the first meeting after the local level polls shall be 15 days in maximum and other meetings following the first meeting shall run for a period not exceeding seven days,” it read.

The presence of more than 50 per cent members shall be deemed to have met a quorum for a meeting. “If the quorum is not maintained, the chairperson shall call another meeting within three days. In case where the quorum is not present even after calling another meeting by giving a time of two days, the meeting shall be held in the presence of no less than 25 pc members,” said the procedure.

Vice-chairperson shall preside over the meeting in the absence of the chairperson. “As per the directive of the chairperson, secretary of the meeting shall develop the agenda of the session and provide its copy to all members 48 hours before the start of the meeting. Majority opinion shall prevail in the meeting. In case of a tie, the presiding person may exercise a casting vote,” it said.

The procedure has prohibited the members from using objectionable and indecent language, and making personnel allegation against anyone. The members will not be allowed to air his/her view more than once. “The meeting may pass any resolution on the basis of majority voice vote. “The chairperson may declare any member ineligible to participate in the meeting for another three days if he/she demonstrates unruly conduct during the session,” read the procedure.