Kathmandu, November 8

The Legislation Committee today failed to endorse the report on revised bill on reconstruction of earthquake affected structures after lawmakers from main opposition Nepali Congress demanded political consensus on the revised bill.

The report was presented at today’s meeting of the Legislation Committee by Tarini Dutta Chataut, chairman of the sub-committee tasked with preparing the report.

Sources claimed that lawmakers from the main opposition party were for reinstating Govinda Pokhrel as the chief executive officer of the Reconstruction Commission. Pokharel was appointed as the chief of the commission by the previous NC-led government.

UCPN-M lawmaker Ram Narayan Bidari, who is also a member of the sub-committee formed to revise the bill, said the revision has strengthened the role of opposition in the commission. He said the top leaders of the coalition and main opposition would finalise the issue by tomorrow as talks are under way.

The next meeting of the Legislation Committee scheduled for tomorrow is expected to endorse the revised bill on reconstruction.

NC lawmaker Nabindra Raj Joshi said NC was for giving continuity to the decisions and appointments made by the previous NC-led government. “Things would complicate if the decisions made the previous government are scrapped by the current one,” he said. Joshi further said that the revised bill needs changes. He also said the government should take main opposition party into confidence while taking major decisions.

UML lawmaker Rewati Raman Bhandari said NC lawmakers also demanded time to study the proposed revised bill during today’s meeting. He said opposition also demanded political consensus on the issue.

Minister for Law Agni Kharel informed the meeting that the government was for bringing a new bill on reconstruction.