In a bid to address the demands of main opposition CPN-UML, the ruling parties—Nepali Congress and CPN (Maoist Centre)—have decided to withdraw an impeachment motion filed against Chief Justice Sushila Karki.

Lawmakers of the NC and Maoist Centre had registered an impeachment motion against CJ Karki at the Parliament Secretariat on April 30.

The ruling parties made the decision during a meeting with the main opposition CPN-UML at the Chamber of Speaker Onsari Gharti in Singha Durbar on Saturday morning.

An alliance of opposition parties had been obstructing the House for the past few days to protest the government’s decision of increasing the number of local federal units and demanding withdrawal of the impeachment motion.

The Supreme Court on Friday issued an interim order in the name of the government to stay its decision to increase the number of local units in 12 Tarai disticts.

The government on May 21 had decided to increase 22 local levels in Tarai districts and upgrade Biratnagar and Birgunj Sub-Metropolitan Cities as metropolitan cities.

With the agreement among there big  parties, the main opposition UML has decided to let the House proceed with its business from today which has assured that the budget will be announced on May 29 as provisioned by the Constitution.

“The impeachment motion registered against CJ Karki will be withdrawn by this evening, if not, by Sunday morning,” UML’s Parliamentary Party leader Subash Nembang quoted PM Dahal as saying.

Dahal said that the process to withdraw the impeachment motion has already been moved ahead.

Leader Nembang said that Parliamentary Committee would be formed today itself on the basis of an understanding reached among the three parties. Chief whips of all the three parties have been entrusted with the task.

During the meeting, PM Dahal has assured UML Chairman KP Sharma Oli that the cases related to heinous crimes would not be withdrawn.

The government on May 18 had decided to accept the Tharuhat and Madhes protests as political movements and withdraw all the cases filed against those who were involved, as a part of its bid to ensure agitating forces’ participation in polls scheduled for June 14 and bring them on board the constitution implementation process.

“The government has not made any decision to withdraw the cases,” a source quoted PM Dahal as saying, adding, “The decision was made only in some technical issues.”

PM Dahal also told the main opposition CPM-UML that the government would not take the constitution amendment process ahead prior to the second phase of local level elections.

No concrete discussions on forming national consensus govt

Meanwhile, the leaders of three major political parties did not discuss on forming the national consensus government though President Bidya Devi Bhandari on May 26 had asked the leaders to form the consensus government within seven days.

The President made the call on Thursday, a day after Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal tendered his resignation, to choose a new prime minister on the basis of political understanding as per Article 298 (2) of the Constitution of Nepal.