Parliament resumes, only to be obstructed by Nepali Congress

KATHMANDU: The Legislature-Parliament meeting, which started with a delay of two and half hours this evening, was deferred till Friday afternoon due to obstruction by the main opposition Nepali Congress.

As soon as the House began with the national anthem, the Nepali Congress lawmakers strongly objected to today's schedule of House business.

Nepali Congress lawmaker Ramesh Lekhak said his party would obstruct the House proceedings until the parliamentary business included the Constitution Amendment Bill registered by the erstwhile Sushil Koirala-led government.

As the Nepali Congress lawmakers stood and started protesting, Speaker Onsari Gharti repeatedly said that her attention was drawn towards the issue and she would include the discussion on the Constitution Amendment Bill in the House business in next meeting.

She requested the Nepali Congress lawmakers to get seated and let the House run, saying the crucial Reconstruction Authority Bill would be presented at the House today.

Despite the efforts of Ram Chandra Paudel, lawmaker and Nepali Congress s vice-president, to convince them, the Nepali Congress lawmakers, however, continued obstructing the House, forcing the Speaker to announce that the House meeting was put off till 3 pm tomorrow. Lawmakers of Nepal Workers and Peasants Party had also stood to protest today's House business.

The House, which was first called for 3 pm was rescheduled to 5 pm. It, however, could start at around 7:35 pm only.

Today's House ran for about 15 minutes only.