Kathmandu, March 30

Lawmaker Prem Suwal from Nepal Workers and Peasants Party today registered an application at the Parliament Secretariat, demanding that the National Medical Education Ordinance not be passed by the Parliament.

The ordinance has already been tabled in the Parliament for discussion. “We have tabled the ordinance in the Parliament, but the NWPP lawmaker has filed an application against it. So, discussions will now focus on why the ordinance should not be passed by the Parliament,” said Minister for Education, Science and Technology Giriraj Mani Pokharel.

As per the constitution, the ordinance should be endorsed by both houses of the Parliament. If the joint meeting of the Parliament passes the ordinance, then it will take the form of a law. But if both the Parliament doesn’t act on the ordinance within sixty days, it would become null and void.

The ordinance is in accordance with the agreement reached between the government and Dr Govinda KC, senior orthopaedic surgeon at Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital.

President Bidhya Devi Bhandari had authenticated the ordinance as per Article 114 of the constitution on November 10, 21017.

The ordinance bars opening of new medical colleges in Kathmandu Valley for the next 10 years.