Parliament aadjourned for 15 minutes after opposition protest

KATHMANDU: The meeting of the House of Representatives has been adjourned following a protest by opposition parties. Speaker D.P. Aryal postponed the session for 15 minutes, to be resumed later today.

The disruption occurred after the Speaker granted time for Law Minister Sobita Gautam to present a motion seeking consideration of the First Amendment Bill related to the House of Representatives election. Opposition lawmakers stood up in protest, demanding that Prime Minister Balen Shah personally appear in Parliament to respond to their questions.

Opposition parties obstructed the proceedings, insisting on the Prime Minister’s presence in the House. In response, ruling party Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) suggested referring to Rule 50 of the House Rules.

Speaking on behalf of RSP, MP Ashok Chaudhary stated that the Speaker holds the authority to determine whether a question is admissible or not. He explained that under the rules, the Speaker may fully or partially reject a question if it appears abusive, contrary to the Constitution or parliamentary rules, or likely to disrupt the proceedings or harm the dignity of the House.

He urged opposition lawmakers to review the agenda and procedural rules, noting that the Prime Minister had already delegated responsibility to the Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Minister. He further emphasized that under Rule 50(4), the Speaker has the authority to decide whether questions are acceptable.