Valley
Differences between govt, oppn spill out
Differences between the main opposition party and the government have widened over numerous issues, resulting in several hurdles in constitutional appointments while also delaying public hearing of nominees.Kamal Dev Bhattarai
Differences between the main opposition party and the government have widened over numerous issues, resulting in several hurdles in constitutional appointments while also delaying public hearing of nominees.
Charging the government with taking unilateral decisions on issues that require political consensus, the Nepali Congress has symbolically withheld cooperation, protracting the delay in finalising the parliamentary regulations. There is dispute between the ruling and opposition parties over the size of the parliamentary Hearing Committee. The 61-member committee, which has a majority of members from three major parties, is divided whether to continue with the 73-member body that existed before the constitution promulgation.
The opposition favours the old size of the committee claiming that the transitional phase is not over. The ruling CPN-UML and the UCPN (Maoist) want to downsize the panel. There was preparation for holding the election on Thursday after six months of negotiations failed to find consensus.
But the NC did not take part in the process citing its busy schedule, in a move to irk the ruling coalition. The delay in finalising the regulations has affected the process of confirming the Chief Election Commissioner and appointment of the chief justice even though the incumbent CJ, Kalyan Shrestha, retires in two days.
NC President Sher Bahadur Deuba also declined to attend a Constitutional Council (CC) meeting on Friday citing time constraints. The CC was expected to appoint the new CJ.
The Congress has expressed its displeasure at the justice recommendations made by the Judicial Council for the Supreme Court. In particular, the party has objected to the recommendation of a former nominated Member of Parliament. “Sapana Pradhan Malla, who is a UML cadre and former lawmaker, is ineligible for an SC judge. We will stop it,” said Ramesh Rijal, who is close to Deuba.
The largest party has also objected to the government’s decision to scrap the political appointments made by the earlier Congress-led government. NC leaders say the Cabinet is scrapping political appointments in various government bodies, including in Nepal Television, against the “culture of consensus”.
Latest on the main opposition party’s list of charges is the government providing additional funds to ruling party lawmakers through budgetary transfer.
The NC’s Parliamentary Party on Sunday urged the government to maintain fiscal discipline. “At the end of the fiscal year, the government is transferring budget rampantly and unilaterally. This should stop,” the party said in a statement.
To corner the government on these issues, the NC has demanded a session of Parliament soon. NC leader Rijal said there should be no delay in summoning the House to discuss national issues.
The opposition also accuses the government of promoting black marketeering and creating an artificial shortage of essentials including fuel.