The main opposition Nepali Congress (NC) has demanded withdrawal of the two ordinances the government brought on Monday.
A meeting of NC office-bearers at the residence of NC President Sher Bahadur Deuba in Budhanilkantha on Tuesday has said the ordinances should be taken back as they were brought at the wrong time with wrong intention.
Deuba had also invited senior leader Ram Chandra Paudel, former vice-president Gopal Man Shrestha and former general secretaries Prakash Man Singh and Krishna Prasad Sitaula to the meeting to discuss the latest developments.
"The government has brought the ordinances to play games in a planned manner. We, therefore, urge the government to withdraw the ordinances," NC Spokesperson Bishwo Prakash Sharma said after the meeting. "The party is serious about this game of government when the people are confined to their homes due to the lockdown."
The party also raised questions about the role of President Bidya Devi Bhandari. "President authenticated the ordinances immediately in haste without holding discussion or consultation," Sharma pointed.
President Bhandari authenticated the ordinances about splitting party and majority decision in the Constitutional Council in Monday evening just hours after the Cabinet meeting passed the ordinances. The ordinances were published in the Nepal Gazette later in the night.
The Cabinet meeting at Baluwatar Monday passed an ordinance allowing splitting of a party with support of 40 percent in either the parliamentary party or the central committee. The act about political parties requires support of 40 percent in both the parliamentary party and the central committee to split any political party.
The other ordinance states that the Constitutional Council can take decisions on the basis of majority. The six-strong council currently only has five members in lack of election for deputy speaker. The amendment means that the Council can take decisions with support of three and even in absence of the main opposition leader.
The ordinance brought by the government will have to be passed by the House with majority within 60 days of House session, according to Article 114 of the Constitution.
