HoR first session: KC presiding session as senior-most member

Kathmandu, April 2: The first session of the House of Representatives (HoR), following the March 5 election, commenced today. The session is being held in the multipurpose hall of the under-construction Federal Parliament Building at Singha Durbar.

The meeting is being attended by Prime Minister Balendra Shah, members of the Council of Ministers, former Prime Minister and Nepali Communist Party (NCP) coordinator Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’, Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) leader Rabi Lamichhane, Shram Sanskriti Party Chair Harka Raj Rai, senior leaders of the Nepali Congress and CPN (UML) as well as other newly elected lawmakers.

Earlier, on March 30, President Ramchandra Paudel had summoned a session of both houses of the Federal Parliament for 2:00 pm today. The 275-member HoR comprises 182 members from the RSP, 38 from the Nepali Congress, 25 from the CPN (UML), 17 from the NCP, seven from the Shram Sanskriti Party, five from the Rastriya Prajatanta Party, and one independent member.

Three ordinances are likely to be presented during the session. Home Minister Sudhan Gurung is expected to table the “Voter List (First Amendment) Ordinance, 2082 BS,” the “House of Representatives Members Election (First Amendment) Ordinance, 2082 BS,” and the “Nepal Special Service (Second Amendment) Ordinance, 2082 BS.”

The senior-most member by age, Arjun Narasingh KC, will read out a letter regarding the summoning of the parliamentary session by the President, as well as a letter from the Office of the President concerning the appointment of the Prime Minister and the formation of the Council of Ministers.

According to Federal Parliament Secretary General Padma Prasad Pandey, the session Chair will present a proposal for conducting HoR proceedings until formal rules are framed in accordance with Article 104, seeking approval from the House.

 Chair KC will also nominate members to chair meetings his absence.

Another agenda of the meeting includes lawmakers expressing their views along party lines.

The senior-most member presiding over the session will also fix the date for the election of the Speaker of the HoR, in accordance with Rule 7 of the HoR Regulations, 2079 BS, it is said. (RSS)