Five ordinances, excluding the land-related one, are set to be tabled for approval in the House of Representatives on Wednesday.
Mahesh Bartaula, chief whip of the CPN-UML, said that the ruling coalition partners have reached an agreement to table five ordinances, excluding the land-related one, for approval in the House of Representatives meeting on Wednesday.
"We will present five ordinances, excluding the land-related one, for approval in the House of Representatives meeting on Wednesday. This understanding has been reached among the ruling coalition partners. The ordinances are being presented with the consent of Janata Samajwadi Party Nepal Chairman Upendra Yadav as well," he said.
According to sources, the ruling parties, including Upendra Yadav, held a discussion at the prime minister's residence in Baluwatar on Sunday evening. During the discussion, an agreement was reached to present five ordinances for approval in the House of Representatives meeting scheduled for March 5.
UML Chief Whip Bartaula said that the ordinances will be presented for approval in the National Assembly on Thursday (March 6). The next meeting of the National Assembly has also been scheduled for Thursday.
According to the agreement, the Ordinance to Amend Some Nepal Acts Related to Improving Economic and Business Environment and Enhancing Investments, the Ordinance to Amend the Privatization Act, the Ordinance to Amend the Economic Procedure and Financial Accountability Act, the Ordinance to Amend Some Nepal Acts Related to Promoting Good Governance and Public Service Delivery, and the Ordinance to Amend Some Nepal Acts Related to Cooperatives will be tabled for decision in the Parliament meetings.
These ordinances were issued by the government on January 11.
Although the ruling coalition has a majority in the House of Representatives, it needs the support of the Upendra Yadav-led JSP-N in the National Assembly to get the ordinances approved.
The government found itself in a difficult position after the JSP-N insisted on withdrawing the land-related ordinance, stating that it was not in the national interest.
Bartaula said that the ruling parties have agreed to advance the other ordinances, excluding the land-related one, by taking Yadav into confidence.
Land-related ordinance still unresolved
According to Chief Whip Bartaula, the land-related ordinance is still unresolved and the ruling coalition is discussing it.
He said that efforts are underway to reach an agreement by incorporating the issues raised by the JSP-N in the replacement bill.
A meeting of the ruling coalition partners held on February 15 also discussed the matter. The meeting proposed forming a task force with one member each from the ruling coalition partners to discuss the contents of the land-related ordinance and incorporate them in the replacement bill.
However, Upendra Yadav has not agreed to it either. The JSP-N has been pointing out that some provisions in the land-related ordinance could change the demographic situation in the Terai, increase the exploitation of the Chure region, and lead to desertification of the Terai, among other issues.
"There are some issues in the ordinance. If the JSP-N can convince the government, those issues can be included in the replacement bill," he said. "We have not said either that we will withdraw the land-related ordinance. Since it is in the discussion phase, an understanding has been reached to not advance it for now."
