14 Dec, 2021
Kathmandu, Dec.14: The winter session of the Federal Parliament is beginning on Tuesday. President Bidya Devi Bhandari had summoned the sessions of both the houses of the Federal Parliament for 4:00pm on Tuesday.
Lawmakers from all the political parties were informed to get ready for the winter session.
Secretariat of the Federal Parliament informed that all required preparations for the session have been completed.
Dr. Rojnath Pandey, Secretary at the Parliament Secretariat, said that they had prepared seats according to required health protocols, disinfected the parliament hall and kept sanitisers at the gate and other places.
“We also held an antigen test camp for the leaders, lawmakers, employees working at the parliament building, security personnel and others,” he said. In all, 640 persons, including 157 lawmakers, underwent antigen test.
The secretariat also published tentative schedule of the session for the first day.
According to the schedule, the Speaker and National Assembly Chairman will read out the letters received from the President, give names of chairs for the sessions in the absence of the Speaker and National Assembly Chair and table some ordinances on the first day of the session.
Home Minister Balkrishna Khand will present three ordinances related to Nepal Police and Provincial Police (1st Amendment), Acid and Lethal Chemical Materials (Regulation) and Social Security (1st Amendment) in the Lower House.
Similarly, Minister for Physical Infrastructure and Supply Renu Kumari Yadav is scheduled to present Railway Ordinance 2021 and Minister for Law Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Dilendra Prasad Badu will present two bills related to Some Acts against Sexual Harassment and Act against Criminal Offence and Criminal Procedure.
However, the CPN-UML, the main opposition party, has hinted at obstructing the House as in the previous session. Khimlal Bhattarai, whip of the party in the Upper House, said that they would not allow the House run smoothly until the government listens to their concerns.
No effort has been made to convince the opposition regarding the House meeting as of Monday evening as Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba was busy in the party’s 14th general convention. Meanwhile, Speaker Agni Prasad Sapkota inspected the Parliament House in New Baneshwore on Monday, a day before the House session was to begin.
He inspected the assembly hall and participated in antibody test camp. The Speaker expressed dissatisfaction over the role of the main opposition party. “Obstructing the House session repeatedly is not lawful,” he told the reporters after inspecting the House. – Rising Nepal