Nepal govt plans to table Appropriation Bill amid protest from opposition
Sep 20, 2021
Kathmandu [Nepal], September 20 : The Government of Nepal has planned to table an appropriation bill for endorsement in the lower house on Monday morning amid protest from the opposition.
The lower house meeting has been called for 11 am (local time). Finance Minister Janardan Sharma is scheduled to table the Appropriation Bill for endorsement in today's meeting.
However, the meeting is unlikely to proceed since the main opposition CPN-UML has been disrupting the parliament which they had vowed to continue until their demands are met. Meanwhile, ruling coalition parties have issued a whip to all the lawmakers to be present in the House meeting saying that the budget will be tabled for endorsement.
With the appropriation bill yet to be endorsed from the lower house, the Government is not able to spend from the state treasury. The erstwhile government led by CPN (UML) on May 29 had brought ordinance budget for the current fiscal year and it was presented in the federal parliament on July 19.
As per the provision, an ordinance has to be passed within 60 days. On the same basis, the Appropriation Bill should have been passed by Wednesday. The endorsement of the Bill has been uncertain as the UML which has the charge of main opposition continues to obstruct the House.
The government had brought a bill to replace the ordinance budget on September 10 amid protest from the opposition. The opposition CPN-UML lawmakers have been obstructing house procession against the issuance of an ordinance to split the political party.
They have been shouting slogans against House Speaker Agni Sapkota who also is blamed to be involved in bringing party splitting ordinance. The opposition has accused the Speaker of being biased for letting expelled members from the former party attend the meeting of the fresh session.
The ordinance brought by the Deuba government had paved the way for the CPN-UML and the JanataSamajwadi Party (JSP) to split. The government had introduced the ordinance by ending the ninth session of the federal parliament on August 16.
UML had dismissed 14 lawmakers including former PM Madhav Kumar Nepal and Jhala Nath Khanal alleging them of violation of party discipline. House Speaker who owns the right about taking action against the members of the house, gave his decision to keep 14 lawmakers from the opposition in their post and cancelled the recommendation to cancel their seat off parliament.
The opposition then moved to the Supreme Court where a hearing over the issue is due for this month. Awaiting verdict from the apex court, Prime Minister Deuba has delayed his cabinet formation which would include Madhav Nepal led the new party on board.
