Opposition parties have pressured Speaker Dol Prasad Aryal to schedule a question-and-answer session with the prime minister.
According to the House of Representatives Regulations, lawmakers are allowed to question the prime minister for one hour during the first week of every month.
However, during the first week of Jestha (third week of May), Speaker Aryal did not schedule such a session. He had personally met Prime Minister Balen Shah and urged him to attend Parliament to answer lawmakers’ questions. But PM Shah did not allocate time for the Q&A session.
Opposition parties have therefore increased pressure on Speaker Aryal to conduct a Q&A session with the prime minister.
“We have asked the speaker to fix a date through today’s meeting itself for the prime minister to come and answer lawmakers’ questions,” said Nepali Communist Party Chief Whip Yuvaraj Dulal. “We have told him that the time can be set according to the prime minister’s convenience, but if no date is fixed, we will protest.”
After opposition parties intensified pressure on the speaker, Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) Chief Whip Kabindra Burlakoti said that a solution would be sought during Tuesday’s zero hour and special hour. Due to discussions among parties, the meeting scheduled for 11 a.m. started half an hour late.
“We told the speaker that if it is wrong to raise the issue calling for the implementation of the Constitution and parliamentary regulations, then he should say so,” he said. “We asked him to stop saying that the prime minister will come at an appropriate time.”
Another opposition leader familiar with the discussion with the speaker also said that they urged him to set a date for the prime minister’s appearance. Opposition parties are preparing to protest if no date is fixed on Tuesday.
Chief whips from the Nepali Congress, CPN-UML, NCP, and RPP had earlier discussed the matter and decided to continue protests until the prime minister attends Parliament.
