Valley
CPN-UML demands time frame for endorsing motion
The main opposition CPN-UML has demanded a time frame to complete the impeachment of suspended chief of the Commission for Investigation of Abuse of Authority Lokman Singh Karki charging that the Legislature-Parliament had been lingering the process.The main opposition CPN-UML has demanded a time frame to complete the impeachment of suspended chief of the Commission for Investigation of Abuse of Authority Lokman Singh Karki charging that the Legislature-Parliament had been lingering the process.
The demand of the second largest party comes at a time when the House is still engaged in theoretical discussion more than three weeks since the impeachment motion was tabled. Taking part in deliberation on the motion on Monday, UML Vice-chairman Yubraj Gyawali asked the Speaker to come up with a timetable to conclude the impeachment process. He stressed that the motion should be endorsed as soon as possible. As many as 157 lawmakers from the ruling CPN (Maoist Centre) and the UML had, on October 19, registered the motion. The theoretical discussion that started on October 25 is yet to be over due to frequent postponements of the House meeting. The next parliamentary meeting is on Wednesday.
“The impeachment process has not moved smoothly. The House should come out with a concrete timetable immediately,” he said in the House, questioning why the discussion had taken so long. He was critical of Nepali Congress lawmaker Mohan Basnet, who argued that the due process was ignored while registering the impeachment proposal.
Basnet had termed the impeachment proposal tabled without informing the coalition partner NC as a mere “drama”. He argued that impeaching the head of a constitutional body would set a bad precedent and betray the democratic principle of separation of powers.
Criticising his opinion, Gyawali said the impeachment motion registered as per the constitution was unquestionable. After the discussion, the motion will be sent to
the Impeachment Recommendation Committee (IRC) which will have a maximum of 30 days to look into the charges against Karki.
Once the motion lands in the committee, it will summon Karki within seven days to let him defend the charges. He, however, can skip the summons. After concluding its study and investigation, the IRC will forward its recommendation(s) to Parliament which will then start clause-wise discussion. If the members of the IRC have conflicting views, a decision will be taken through a majority vote.
Any member of the committee is free to register a note of dissent which too could be put to a vote in Parliament. If any lawmaker, in course of clause-wise discussion, demands further probe, the Speaker can resend the motion to the IRC, giving it one more week for that.
The House will finally start the process to decide Karki’s vote through a vote.
A two-thirds majority of the total number of lawmakers is required to endorse the motion. That means 397 lawmakers have to vote in favour to pass the motion. The impeachment cannot be endorsed without support of the NC which has 207 MPs. If the motion is endorsed, Karki will be relieved from office.