Kathmandu, January 25

Rights activists and civil society members continued their protest programme for the fourth day today at Maitighar Mandala against the decision of the ruling Nepal Communist Party (NCP) to field murder accused Agni Prasad Sapkota as candidate for speaker of the House of Representatives.

Activists and civil society members have decried the decision to nominate Sapkota as an attack against the parliamentary system and against the spirit of democracy.

The activists have announced a march programme tomorrow starting from Maitighar and ending in a corner meeting at Baneshwor outside the House of Representatives.

The secretariat meeting of the ruling NCP, on January 19, had decided to propose Agni Sapkota, a Standing Committee member, for the post.

Sapkota faces a murder charge in Kavrepalanchowk district. He has been accused of involvement in abducting and killing Arjun Lama in August 2005, during the decade long conflict era. Lama was abducted in April 2005 from a parents-teacher meeting held at Shree Krishna Secondary School at Dapche in Kavrepalanchowk district.

As Sapkota is the only candidate for the House speaker it is certain he will be declared the unopposed winner tomorrow.

Senior advocate Dinesh Tripathi has also filed a writ petition at the Supreme Court urging the apex court to stay the speaker’s election process and prevent Sapkota from becoming the speaker.