House revival not an easy task: Experts

Himalayan News Service

Kathmandu, June 5:

Political analysts and legal experts today said reinstatement of the dissolved House of Representatives is not an easy task and is not a proper way to resolve the current crisis facing the country. Speaking at an interaction on ‘Present Constitutional Crisis and House Revival’ organised by the LLM (Master of Law) Alumni-Nepal here, veteran political analyst Dr Lok Raj Baral said: “Reinstatement of the House of Representatives is not an easy job as it was deliberately dissolved to derail the democratic process. It’s revival will not amount to a final solution to the present political and constitutional crisis. Maoists also cannot be brought into mainstream politics by its revival,” he added. “The revival of the House may, however, restart the political and democratic process in the country,” Baral, a former ambassador to India, said.

According to him, the tripartite agreement signed between the King, the Nepali Congress and the United Left Front in 1990 has automatically terminated with the royal takeover. “As the political parties are sidelined from the law-making process, restoration of multi-party democracy is a difficult task,” he said. Legal expert Dr Surendra Bhandari, however, said House revival is not a proper solution to the current crisis plaguing the country. “Unless the political parties are ready to go for a Constituent Assembly, it will not be a proper solution to the crisis,” he said. President of Nepal Bar Association, Shambhu Thapa, said the King has the right to reinstate the House with a political consensus.

“The tenure of the House can come to an end and seek a new mandate, but its life cannot end,” he said, adding: “If the Spe-aker can hold his office even after the expiry of his five-year term, then why not other members,” he said. He further said the Constituent Assembly

cannot guarantee a better constitution. Presenting a working paper, advocate Dinesh Tripathi said the King has the right to reinstate the House of Representatives as per Article 127 of the Constitution.