House prorogued, lawmakers condemn Shah's murder

KATHMANDU: President Dr Ram Baran Yadav today prorogued the sixth session (budget session) of the Legislature-Parliament convened on July 8, 2009.

A letter to this effect sent by

the President was read out by Speaker Subas Chandra Nembang in the House.

During the seven-month period, the House had only 101 working days as the main opposition Unified CPN-Maoist obstructed the parliamentary business

over the president’s “unconstitutional move” to reinstate the

then sacked army chief, Rookmangad Katawal.

During that period, the president presented the policies and programme of the government on July 9, 2009 and it was passed by a majority of vote on July 12.

Having passed the policies a

nd programme, Finance Minister Surendra Pandey presented

the fiscal budget of the year 2009/10 on July 13 and it was passed on November 24.

Nembang said the House passed seven Bills, including the one related to implementing the declaration of republic making amendments to at least 108 laws that had references on the monarchy, out of the total 19 government and three private Bills. The rest has been sent to the parliamentary Statutory Committee for further discussion.

An interesting point is that the sixth session of the parliament also made the seventh amendment to the Interim Constitution to reactivate the post of vice-president, which had remained inactive since the Supreme

Court nullified the Vice President’s oath taken in Hindi on July 23, 2009. The House also passed nine international treaties, conventions and accessions during its 120 working hours.

Parliament sources said

the winter session of the Legislature-Parliament will be called probably on March 5.

Earlier today, lawmakers, cutting across party lines, condemned the brutal murder of Jamim Shah, chairman of Space Time Network Pvt Ltd and Channel Nepal Television, in the capital yesterday.

All those who aired views

on the incident demanded

stern legal action against the

perpetrators.

CP Gajurel of the UCPN-Maoist demanded the government explain whether Shah had links with the Pakistani intelligence agency ISI as reported by the Indian media shortly after his murder in the capital yesterday.

Gajurel also inquired whether it was true that the Indian government had written a letter

to the Nepal government way back in 2004 asking about

Shah’s investment on Space

Time Network.

Gajurel said, “The government has converted Nepal into a battle field for foreigners.”

He also demanded the Home Minister’s resignation as he had failed to maintain law and order in the country.

Minister of State for Home Affairs Md Rijwan Ansari, briefing the House on the incident, said the government will leave no stone unturned to book the culprits involved in Shah’s murder.

Other lawmakers such as Nepali Congress chief whip Laxman Ghimire, Rabindra Adhikari of the CPN-UML, Chandra Bahadur Gurung of Rastriya Prajatantra Party-Nepal, Anil Kumar Jha of Sadbhavana Party, Sunil Prajapati of Nepal Workers’ and Peasants’ Party, Birjesh Kumar Gupta of Tarai Madhes Democratic Party, Santa Bahadur Nepali of Rastriya Janmorcha Nepal and C P Mainali of the CPN-ML also condemned Shah’s killing.