The main opposition Nepali Congress (NC) has demanded immediate withdrawal of the ordinance about the Constitutional Council.
The parliamentary party meeting of NC on Friday has demanded withdrawal of the ordinance saying the government brought it evading the parliament. "The ordinance brought violating the Constitution must be taken back," NC whip Pushpa Bhusal told Setopati.
Prime Minister (PM) KP Sharma Oli had unilaterally brought the ordinance, and President Bidya Devi Bhandari hastily authenticated it, after Speaker Agni Sapkota did not attend the meeting called Tuesday morning apparently under instruction of CPN Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal.
The ordinance was widely condemned by the opposition parties and ruling CPN alike. Oli then made an about turn and pledged to withdraw the ordinance in the CPN standing committee meeting on Wednesday after knowing that the faction of fellow CPN Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal and Senior Leader Madhav Kumar Nepal prepared to demand special House session and register no confidence motion against him.
But he did not withdraw the ordinance through the Cabinet meeting Thursday evening and even called the Constitutional Council meeting for Thursday which he eventually called off on advice of Dahal.
The NC parliamentary party meeting also demanded convening of House session but the party will not apply for special House session. "NC will not apply for special House session. It is already time to convene regular House session," Bhusal reasoned.
NC is also preparing to raise the issue of election of deputy speaker. "We seriously discussed the issue of election of deputy speaker. We will initiate additional process once the House session starts," she added.
The post of deputy speaker is vacant since Shiva Maya Tumbahangphe resigned in January.
The ruling party had to ask Tumbahangphe, whose allegiance is now with CPN having won the last general election on a CPN-UML ticket, to resign to keep the post of speaker with the party as the Constitution prohibits appointment of speaker and deputy speaker from the same party.
CPN had elected Agni Sapkota as speaker after Tumbahangphe resigned but has not held election for deputy speaker as the post will have to be given to the opposition.
The post has gained added significance in recent times due to the dispute about the six-strong Constitutional Council where deputy speaker sits as an ex-officio member.
