The meeting of Legislature-Parliament, which was scheduled to discuss two important bills related to local elections, was deferred by half an hour on Monday in the lack of quorum after lawmakers including those from the ruling parties left the House after marking their attendance.

As many as 404 lawmakers were present in the House meeting when it commenced at 1pm. But when Parliament was about to seek lawmakers’ approval to send the Bill on Local Level Elections and the Bill to Amend and Integrate Prevailing Laws on Election Offences and Punishment for finalisation to the State Affairs Committee, a majority of them had left the Parliament premises.

Dilli Prasad Kafle, a lawmaker from the Nepal Majdoor Kisan Party, demanded adjournment of the House claiming that the meeting lacked the minimum number of lawmakers required for the purpose.

When Speaker Onasari Gharti ordered a head count, only 116 lawmakers were present while 228 had already left. A minimum of 149 lawmakers are required to start the House business. It is the duty of the ruling parties to ensure that the House proceedings move ahead.

2 poll-related bills approved

KATHMANDU: The Legislature-Parliament on Monday unanimously endorsed the proposal seeking consideration on the Local Level Election Bill-2073. The meeting also unanimously passed the Election (Offence and Penalty) Bill-2073.

Responding to queries raised during deliberations on the bill, Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister Bimalendra Nidhi expressed the government’s commitment to passing all the bills related to elections soon.

The laws governing elections were welcomed by the opposition parties, which have stood against the constitution amendment bill. MPs from both the ruling and opposition parties were unanimous on the need to announce the date for the elections soon. Prakash Jwala of the CPN-UML stressed that the local elections should be held in the new structure. The Election Commission has not been able to prepare for the polls in the lack of necessary laws. (PR)