DP Aryal elected House Speaker

By A Staff Reporter,Kathmandu, Apr. 6: Dol Prasad Aryal, vice-president of Rastriya Swatantra Party, has been elected as Speaker of the House of Representatives (HoR) unopposed. 

On Sunday, senior-most member of the House of Representatives, Arjun Narsingh KC, announced the election of Aryal as new Speaker.

The announcement was made during a House session held at 11:00 am on Sunday at the multipurpose hall of the under-construction Federal Parliament building in Singha Durbar.

Aryal’s name was proposed by party president Rabi Lamichhane and supported by Minister for Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Sobita Gautam, Finance Minister Swarnim Wagle, and party general secretary Sunil Lamsal. All of them expressed their views in the meeting. 

Following their remarks, senior member KC formally declared Aryal elected as Speaker.

Aryal sworn in 

Speaker Aryal has taken the oath of office and secrecy before President Ramchandra Paudel on Sunday afternoon.

The oath-taking ceremony was held at the President’s Office, Shital Niwas, where President Paudel administered the oath to Speaker Aryal.

The ceremony was attended by Vice-President Ramsahaya Prasad Yadav, Prime Minister Balendra Shah, National Assembly Chair Narayan Prasad Dahal, Acting Chief Justice Sapana Pradhan Malla, along with ministers, former prime ministers, leaders and representatives of various political parties, heads of constitutional bodies, senior government officials, and distinguished members of society.  

Commitment to neutrality and impartiality

Speaker Aryal has pledged to perform his duties with complete neutrality and impartiality during his tenure. 

After taking the oath, he assumed office at Singha Durbar and reiterated his commitment, stating that he fully understands the dignity, neutrality, and impartial nature of the Speaker’s role.

He noted that the current Parliament has emerged from the mandate of the 2025 special election and described the people as the strongest opposition at present. 

He emphasised his firm belief that the House fundamentally belongs to the opposition. Even if there is only one opposition member, he said, their role remains powerful, and he is committed to ensuring that opposition voices are raised and addressed with due respect.

He said, “This election is different from those in the past and those to come. As Speaker, I clearly understand that the strongest opposition this time is the citizens.”

Appealing to both the media and the public, he urged the promotion of positive energy in society, arguing that it is essential for nation-building. 

“For years, we have not seen positive news in the media,” he said, adding, “I request Nepalis across the world and members of the media, let us speak positively, think positively, and write positively for at least two years.”

Highlighting that the primary responsibility of the HoR is law-making, he stressed the need to support the government in policy formulation and to prioritise legislative work. 

He also urged that physical infrastructure should not be overemphasised, noting that structures can be rebuilt quickly, whereas laws and policies are of greater importance.

He further stated that his focus would be on ensuring that past tragic events are not repeated and that future generations are not forced to make sacrifices. 

He underscored the need for coordination among the executive, judiciary, and legislature, as well as among all three tiers of government and both chambers of Parliament, to promote national interest and public welfare.

Who is Dol Prasad Aryal?

Dol Prasad Aryal is a politician currently serving as vice-president of the RSP. 

He briefly served as Minister for Labour, Employment and Social Security in February 2023 under the government led by Pushpa Kamal Dahal for around 20 days.

In the 2022 elections, he was elected as a proportional representative from the Khas Arya community and served as a member of the then HoR. 

In February, 2023 after the Supreme Court invalidated the citizenship of party president Lamichhane and removed him from public office, Aryal was appointed acting party president for a short period.

He again assumed a similar acting leadership role when Lamichhane was in custody in connection with a cooperative fraud case. After Lamichhane’s release, Aryal continued as vice-president.

Following the dissolution of Parliament after the “Gen Z movement”, he contested the election held on March 5 from Kathmandu-9 as an RSP candidate.