Law ministry told to provide list of bills to be tabled in the parliament

Kathmandu, March 22:

The Parliament Secretariat has asked the Ministry of Law, Justice and Constituent Assembly Affairs to provide a list of bills that the government wants to table for discussion in the winter session of the parliament. The fifth session of the parliament will convene on March 29.

Speaker Subas Chandra Nembang said the secretariat had written to the ministry and the Constituent Assembly to inform it about the number of bills to be tabled in the House by the government on priority basis.

He informed that the government had planned to table the bills on violence against women, health and the bill on implementing the declaration of republic, besides the ordinance on inclusiveness.

The duration of the winter session, which discusses only the government-tabled bills, would largely depend on the business offered by the government to the legislative body. As per the legal provision, the government is bound to table the ordinance on inclusiveness on the first day of the session.

The government had introduced the ordinance nine days after the budget session was prorogued on January 19. But the political parties, including the rulin coalition partner CPN-UML, had criticised the government for introducing the ordinance bypassing the parliament.

The ordinance has envisaged making inclusive participation of the Madhesis, Dalits, women, ethnic communities and the disabled in all state agencies and corporations, including the army, Nepal Police, Armed Police Force and Public Service Commission.

Nembang said the ordinance would cease to have its legal relevance if it were rejected by the parliament.

Even if the legislative body approved the ordinance, it will remain in force only for 60 days from the date of its approval. So, he added, the government is required to table Ordinance Replacement Bill if the executive wished to convert it into a permanent law.

Law Minister Dev Gurung said his ministry would inform the secretariat about the number of bills to be tabled in the winter session along with their priorities.

The speaker has called a meeting of the Working Procedure Management Committee of the parties, representing the Constituent Assembly, on March 25 to discuss the procedures of running the House.