The main opposition party Nepali Congress (NC) has boycotted the meeting about conducting hearing of chairmen of different constitutional bodies stating the names were recommended in the absence of main opposition leader.
The Constitution Council had recommended five chiefs of different constitutional bodies on January 20 when NC President Sher Bahadur Deuba was out of the Kathmandu Valley.
"We went to the meeting and came out putting our written disagreement," member of the Parliamentary Hearing Committee and NC whip Pushpa Bhusal told Setopati. The committee has invited complaints for the five recommended persons despite the boycott by NC lawmakers.
The government had recommended former secretary Balananda Paudel as chairman of the National Natural Resources and Fiscal Commission, former secretary Shanta Raj Subedi as that of National Inclusion Commission, Bijay Kumar Dutta in the Madhesi Commission, Bishnu Kumar Chaudhary in the Tharu Commission and Samim Ansari in the Muslim Commission.
Lawmakers of the ruling CPN in the hearing committee said it would be appropriate to move the hearing process forward as it does not have authority to send back the recommendations. Lawmakers of the ruling CPN and parties supporting the government have two-third majority in the 15-member hearing committee.
NC lawmaker Gyanendra Karki said the party does not have reservations about the recommended names but in the process. The party in the written reservation has called the recommendation process illegal. It has also reminded the provision in the act about work, duty and rights of the Constitutional Council that requires a prior notice 48 hours before the meeting.
The Constitutional Council chaired by prime minister includes main opposition party leader, House of Representatives speaker and deputy speaker, National Assembly chairman, and chief justice as members.
