Govt preparing to register a proposal to remove Speaker

Published On: February 1, 2022 11:25 AM NPT By: Ishwari Subedi

KATHMANDU, Feb 1: Preparations are underway to bring a motion against Speaker Agni Prasad Sapkota on the charge of non-cooperation in the work of the government by continuously postponing the meeting of the House of Representatives.

According to a source, the ruling five-party alliance is trying to bring a motion against the Speaker saying that the meeting of parliament has been postponed overnight due to disagreement over the proposal of US aid project Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC).

The government has accused the Speaker of postponing the sitting of parliament for 10 days at the request of the Maoist Center and the Unified Socialist after the meeting of the five-party alliance ended on Saturday night. It is customary to postpone the sitting of parliament at the request of the government. However, after the sitting was adjourned for a long time at the request of the Maoist Center and the Unified Socialist, homework was started to bring a motion against the Speaker on the charge of misconduct.

Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba wants to table the MCC in the House anyhow. But the Maoists and Unified Socialist want the MCC to move forward only after amendments. Opposition UML has also been demanding Speaker Sapkota’s resignation saying that he has allowed the members of parliament against whom the party has taken action, to sit in the parliament.

UML has proposed to pass the MCC on the condition of breaking the alliance. UML Chairman KP Sharma Oli has assured Prime Minister Deuba that if the government agrees to this, he will vote for MCC. In Saturday's meeting, Prime Minister Deuba also hinted that the alliance could break down if the MCC is not passed.

According to a source, Prime Minister Deuba concluded that the meeting was adjourned for 10 days at the request of the Maoist Center and Unified Socialist and the project can not be tabled because of Speaker Sapkota.

According to a source, even if the alliance is broken, the Speaker may be an ‘obstacle’ because of which a motion is being planned for the removal of Speaker Sapkota from his post.