The CPN-UML has taken a firm stand that the bill to amend some Nepal acts related to land should be passed directly from the House of Representatives through the fast-track method.
While Nepali Congress lawmakers are demanding that the bill be sent to a parliamentary committee for clause-wise discussions, UML Chief Whip Mahesh Bartaula said that the bill would be passed directly by a House meeting.
Typically, bills introduced by the government are sent to a parliamentary committee for clause-wise discussions after holding theoretical discussions in the House.
In this process, committees discuss with stakeholders, hear the views of amendment proposers, and discuss each clause before making a decision.
However, when a bill is passed by a full House meeting, the government’s proposal is either moved forward as is or with minor modifications. This process, commonly referred to as the "fast-track" method, is usually adopted when the government wants to pass a bill quickly.
Speaking to Setopati, UML Chief Whip Bartaula said that the bill would be passed by one of the House meetings scheduled for July 13, 14, and 15.
“Sending the bill to a committee takes a long time. Therefore, it was concluded after holding discussions between the Congress and UML that the bill should be passed after holding extensive deliberations in the full House,” Bartaula said. “We will include it in the agenda and pass it one of these days by the end of this month.”
Bartaula added that the government would accept amendments proposed by lawmakers that could be addressed.
“There are amendments from the ruling side as well. If they have good amendments, incorporating them is not an issue,” he said. “It has been said that sending it to a committee and delaying it for months hinders the government’s work. Parliament should also understand this difficulty of the government.”
He noted that lawmakers presenting their views based on experience and study through amendments was a natural part of the legislative process. He also said that it was normal for lawmakers of different parties to have differing opinions in a democratic system.
The government had tried to pass the land-related bill through the House on Wednesday, but it was halted due to opposition from NC lawmakers. NC lawmaker Bishwa Prakash Sharma held separate discussions with lawmakers who had proposed amendments to the bill.
NC lawmakers had even planned to prevent the House from functioning by standing in protest if the government forcibly moved the bill forward without addressing the amendments.
However, after the bill was removed from the House agenda at the last moment, NC lawmakers tasked Dilendra Badu with studying all amendments and preparing a consensus draft.
NC lawmakers are firm that if the government does not accept their amendments, the bill should be sent to a committee for further discussion.
NC General Secretaries Gagan Thapa and Bishwa Prakash Sharma have jointly proposed an amendment to the bill. They have proposed prohibiting real estate business on and sale of land allocated for tea industries and others exceeding the ceiling.
Under the current land-related act, if industries, companies, or institutions operating continuously purchase land beyond the ceiling for essential purposes, they must apply for approval within three months, justifying the need for excess land.
For such applications, a fee of Rs 150,000 per bigha in the Tarai and Inner Madhes, Rs 50,000 per ropani in the Kathmandu Valley, and Rs 10,000 per ropani in other hilly areas is required to retain the excess land.
The government’s proposed bill states that companies permitted to operate real estate businesses on such land face “no obstacles” in developing plots, constructing houses, or residential units (apartments) for sale. However, it prohibits selling land obtained or approved for purposes other than real estate business.
NC lawmakers Thapa and Sharma proposed an amendment to add a restrictive clause right below this provision, prohibiting real estate business on land allocated for any purpose.
General Secretary Sharma said the issue’s importance led the two general secretaries to jointly propose the amendment.
“We don’t always align on every issue, but on this matter, we stand together,” Sharma said. “Exemptions from land ceiling are obtained for tea industries, agricultural farms, or health purposes, but such land is often left fallow and used for real estate business later. We have proposed preventing such situations.”
Sharma said that it would be appropriate to send the bill to a committee for discussion. He expressed confidence that the House would incorporate their amendment.
“It won’t be easy to withdraw an amendment proposed by two Congress general secretaries. If the Speaker allows the government to dismiss our amendment with a simple ‘yes/no’ vote, it won’t be easy for the government either,” he said.
He added that they registered the amendment proposal incorporating concerns raised in the land-related ordinance in the past.
