Kathmandu, February 9

The Parliament Secretariat Operation and Management Committee, the most powerful committee of the Federal Parliament, has inducted two more members through amendment to the Parliament Secretariat Act 2007. The panel earlier had seven members.

Law, Justice and Human Rights Committee of the Parliament led by Krishna Bhakta Pokharel amended the Parliament Secretariat Act after discussion with the government. The act was brought by the government in the Some Nepal Bill. The bill is now in the Lower House for final approval. The bill will take the form of a law if passed by both houses of the Parliament.

As per the amendment, the PSOMC added Secretary of the National Assembly Gopal Nath Yogi and Secretary House of Representatives Rajendra Phuyal as new members. The government had proposed the amendment though the Ministry of Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs.

“After a long discussion we have added two more members in the Parliament Secretariat,” chairperson of the LJHRC Krishna Bhakta Pokharel said. “This provision should have been included when the bill was drafted, but we missed it. So, now we have included this provision.”

The committee had called MoLJPA Bhanu Bhakta Dhakal for discussion on the provison before approving it.  The PSOMC is led by the speaker.

Deputy Spokesperson for the Parliament Secretariat Kesab Aryal said the PSOMC had the power to plan and allocate budget and draw policies related to the Federal Parliament. He also said that it was an old practice to induct secretaries of the upper and lower houses as members of PSOMC.