Speaker Krishna Bahadur Mahara’s plan to form Parliamentary Hearing Special Committee (PHSC) has hit a hurdle with the main opposition, Nepali Congress, demanding representation of fringe parties in the committee.

Several tasks of Parliament, including appointments in constitutional bodies, have been hit as a result.

On Sunday, Speaker Mahara had held a meeting with the leaders of the political parties represented in Parliament to secure their support to form the PHSC ahead of other parliamentary committees. The Speaker had urged the leaders to pave way for the endorsement of the pending appointments in the constitutional bodies, including that of Supreme Court Chief Justice (CJ), by sending their nominees for the PHSC.   

The NC leaders were reportedly positive about the Speaker’s proposal, only to later put the party’s condition of representing all fringe political parties in the committee.

“We will only send our nominees for the PHSC after the Speaker and the ruling party agree to include the representations of the fringe parties,” NC Chief Whip Bal Krishna Khand said on Tuesday.

Four fringe parties have representatives in Parliament in the form of independent MPs. The NC wants them in the PHSC.

The PHSC will have 15 members, 12 from Lower House and three from Upper House. The number will be divided according to the strength of the parties in Parliament.

With its demand the NC apparently wants to increase the number of opposition MPs in the PHSC, which otherwise is sure to be dominated by the ruling parties, Nepal Communist Party (NCP) in particular.

The NC, however, has submitted its nominations for Business Advisory Committee (BAC) of Parliament.

“In Sunday’s meeting, the NC agreed to submit its nominations for two essential parliamentary committees including the BAC” said Parliament Secretary Gopal Nath Yogi.

The BAC, which is essential for Parliament to define its order business, is expected to be formed on Wednesday.