House begins deliberation on statute amendment; UML to oppose silently

Published On: February 23, 2017 04:20 PM NPT By: Ashok Dahal | @ashokpillar

KATHMANDU, Feb 23: Parliament meeting on Thursday started discussion over the constitution amendment bill tabled in the House.

While main opposition CPN-UML chooses to remain silent, lawmakers of Nepal Workers and Peasant Party (NWPP) are opposing it.

Parliament meeting has resumed Thursday after main opposition CPN-UML decided to oppose the constitution amendment bill but not to obstruct the House itself.

Speaking in the House meeting, Deputy Leader of UML's Parliamentary Party Subas Nembang said the opposition parties will not allow the constitution amendment bill to be endorsed from the House. "The amendment bill is not worthy for endorsement and we are against endorsing it," he said.

Nembang said that UML will not take part in the deliberation over the amendment bill. He said UML will silently oppose it.

Seeking consensus among political parties regarding the amendment bill, the House meeting was summoned for Tuesday, 16 days after the last meeting. However, Speaker Onsari Gharti had to defer the meetings on Tuesday and Wednesday as the main opposition CPN-UML remained firm on its stance of not letting the bill move forward in the parliamentary process.

As Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal and UML Chairman KP Sharma Oli discussed the issue again on Thursday, UML agreed to oppose the bill but not to obstruct the House.