House passes E-Commerce Bill, Odisha incident condemned

By A Staff Reporter,Kathmandu, Feb. 19: The House of Representatives unanimously passed the Electronic Commerce (E-Commerce) Bill, 2024 on Tuesday. The bill, which aims to regulate the increasing volume of transactions conducted online, was presented by Minister for Industry, Commerce, and Supplies, Damodar Bhandari. 

While presenting the bill, Minister Bhandari, highlighted that e-commerce has become indispensable in Nepal, driving job creation, simplifying the supply of goods and services, and enhancing export opportunities. The law also provides a necessary framework for the management of online trade, which, without proper legal oversight, had become difficult to regulate.

He explained that the government had carefully listened to various concerns raised by lawmakers during discussions and had made amendments to ensure the bill’s implementation. He added that further regulations and procedures would be introduced to clarify the operational details once the bill is enacted. E-commerce plays a crucial role in Nepal’s economic development, particularly in supporting small and medium enterprises and promoting domestic production, he said.

Lawmaker Lal Prasad Sawa Limbu underscored the global impact of e-commerce, noting that it accounts for over 20 per cent of the world’s retail trade and provides employment to millions worldwide. He also warned that the rise of online commerce had brought new challenges, such as fraud, data theft, and issues in the supply chain, which has made regulation all the more necessary. 

The passage of the bill follows its approval by the National Assembly earlier. Now, after receiving amendments from the House of Representatives, the bill will return to the National Assembly for final ratification. Once approved, it will be sent to the President for final assent, after which it will become law.

Likewise, Nepali Congress Chief Whip Shyam Kumar Ghimire raised concerns over the ongoing controversy surrounding the ordinance provisions in the Constitution. 

Ghimire challenged opposition parties to take concrete steps to remove the ordinance provision from the Constitution if they were dissatisfied with its current usage. He highlighted that the ordinances were introduced in the interest of economic liberalisation and private sector growth and for the country’s development. 

Meanwhile, lawmakers raised a matter of the death of Nepali student Prakriti Lamsal, who was studying at KIIT University in Odisha, India. Lamsal’s tragic death has sparked an outpouring of anger and sorrow, with lawmakers calling for a thorough investigation into the circumstances surrounding her death. Lawmakers Thakur Gairhe and Madhav Sapkota condemned the harsh treatment faced by Nepali students at the university, especially those who protested the incident.

Gairhe criticised the college administration’s behaviour towards the Nepali students, who were allegedly repressed after voicing their concerns about Lamsal’s death. He also called for swift diplomatic intervention from the government to ensure the safety and well-being of Nepali students in India. 

The calls for justice were echoed by several other lawmakers who emphasised the importance of taking immediate diplomatic action to address the unsafe environment faced by Nepali students. They urged the government to take a firm stance against the oppressive actions of the college administration, which had reportedly confiscated students' mobile phones and forcibly sent them back home.

Nepali Congress lawmaker Ramhari Khatiwada expressed gratitude towards the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Nepali Embassy in India for their swift action regarding the case of Prakriti Lamsal. He highlighted that through diplomatic negotiations, the university authorities had apologised, recalled Nepali students from the institution, dismissed the security guards responsible for assaulting the students and arrested the main suspect.

The next session of both House of Representatives and National assembly is scheduled for February 23.