Himalayan News Service

Kathmandu, June 30:

Members of the National Assembly today demanded the government to activate the Upper House of the Parliament to ensure that democratic form of the governance is intact. Since the constitution has made the National Assembly as authoritative as the Parliament for furnishing other affairs except the formation of the government, they said it can play an active role in the absence of the House of epresentatives. Speaking at a programme organised by the Forum for Parliamentary Studies and Development, they stressed the need to end the political impasse to restore peace.

They also demanded that the members of the Assembly be involved in the government-Maoist peace process. "The involvement of the National Assembly members in the talks would remain significant," said NA member Kashinath Adhikari. Former ministers Neelambar Acharya and Sailendra Kumar Upadhyaya said the Assembly should be given the task of

making reforms and performing development activities in the absence of the House of Representatives. However, differences marred the programme when NC members emphasised on the need to reinstate the House of Representatives while members of the UML argued that reinstatement of the House keeps no sense. Nepali Congress members argued that Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba should take initiation to reinstate the House of Representatives. Former Speaker Damannath Dhungana and different former and current members of the Assembly also expressed their view.