KATHMANDU, JUNE 1
Speaker Dol Prasad Aryal has formed a committee to investigate the members of parliament (MPs) who behaved inappropriately during yesterday's House of Representatives meeting.
Speaker Aryal told the House that a three-person committee has been established under the direction of House of Representatives Secretary Prakash Adhikari during today's meeting.
Speaker Aryal stated in the meeting that the committee was formed in accordance with Rule 33 (4) of the House of Representatives Business Conduct Regulation 2026 and has been given the responsibility to submit its report within seven days.
It was brought to the speaker's attention after yesterday's meeting that certain members disrupted the proceedings, behaved in an unruly and objectionable manner, and caused physical harm and loss.
Speaker Aryal stated, "I have established a committee led by HoR Secretary Adhikari to carry out necessary additional investigation into this matter and submit a report within seven days, as a memorandum regarding this matter has already been prepared today."
Additionally, Speaker Aryal stated that after the report is received, additional disciplinary action will be taken in compliance with Rule 33 (4).
The heads of the Federal Parliament Secretariat's Internal Services and Planning Management Division and Technology Management Division make up the three-person committee.
Rule 33 outlines the speaker's special authority to maintain order. Sub-rule 4 of the rule states, "Notwithstanding anything written elsewhere in this regulation, if the speaker learns after the meeting that a member has engaged in objectionable or destructive behaviour or has caused physical loss or damage in the meeting hall, the speaker may suspend such member for a maximum of 15 days and order that compensation for the damaged physical property be recovered from them."
Based on the aforementioned rule and the investigation committee's identification and reporting of the MPs who misbehaved in the House of Representatives yesterday, the speaker has the authority to suspend them for up to 15 days.
However, before issuing such a disciplinary order, the speaker must provide the concerned member with a reasonable opportunity to present their defence. The regulation also states that if a member presents a satisfactory defence or accepts responsibility and apologises, the speaker may grant a pardon and withdraw the disciplinary action.
Speaker Aryal consulted with the Parliament Secretariat's staff before forming the committee to investigate the MPs who were behaving inappropriately.
Opposition MPs had protested close to the rostrum and speaker's podium during yesterday's meetings. Sloganeering occurred during that time, and there was even a physical altercation among the MPs.
The House of Representatives was in the process of adopting the HoR Regulations. The opposition parties had demanded that the amendments filed against the regulations be referred to a parliamentary committee for discussion.
However, a clause-byclause discussion had already occurred in the House, and as the process had already progressed, the speaker proceeded with the passor-fail process of the amendments despite protests.
According to Parliament Spokesperson Ek Ram Giri, the shoving and pushing caused some marshals to lose their badges and sustain minor injuries. Some parliamentarians were also injured. Some MPs even lifted chairs and attempted to get to the speaker's podium by climbing on each other's shoulders.
"When the lawmakers entered the well, the marshals formed a line-like barrier to manage the situation, making it easier to handle protests and preventing unauthorised access to the speaker or the rostrum. During the ensuing scuffle, members of both sides - including lawmakers in the well and security personnel, particularly marshals - suffered minor injuries. However, it was not a serious incident; only two to four people were injured," he told The Himalayan Times.
"After the meeting, the speaker was informed of the objectionable behaviour and damage to physical property. Under the rules of procedure, specifically Rule 33(4), the speaker has the authority to take certain disciplinary actions in such circumstances."
However, he said that before reaching that point, this committee has been formed to investigate exactly what transpired. "This does not imply that action will be taken based on the recommendation or that no action will be taken at all. The rules of procedure simply give the speaker the authority to act."
Giri also stated that the police had completed the site inspection report (Muchulka) and made it available.