A meeting of the House of Representatives Wednesday unanimously endorsed a proposal to consider sweeping amendments to the HoR Regulations, leaving the king totally out of House proceedings.
The Regulations, once endorsed formally by the House most likely on June 10, will allow lawmakers to discuss matters related to the royal family, any matters under consideration in a court of law, and anything done by a judge in the course of discharge of his duties, among other things.
These new provisions will come into effect as the new regulations propose to omit the 11th point in the old regulations that specified topics which, as per Article 56 of the Constitution, can't be discussed or debated in the House.
The new regulations have also made amendments to the Constitution as simple as amending a bill, as per the spirit of the HoR proclamation. Under Clause 136 of the new regulations, any amendment to the Constitution - as long as it's for "resolution of the violent conflict and establishing lasting peace" - can be effected by the House.
Presenting the 77-page draft of the Regulations for consideration in the House, lawmaker Narayan Man Bijukche, head of a committee formed by the House on May 22, said the Regulations were prepared keeping in mind that the HoR is the sovereign body and all state powers can be exercise through it.
Announcing that the proposed regulations were unanimously endorsed for consideration, Speaker Subas Nembang set Thursday as the date for lawmakers to register any amendments, if any, with the House Business Committee. The House is set to approve the Regulations at its next sitting on Saturday.
The Regulations have also changed the Preamble of the old regulations, replacing the phrase "Sub Clause (1) of Article 63 of the Constitution" with "Clause 1.4 of the HoR Proclamation 2006", making it clear that House businesses will henceforth be guided by the HoR Proclamation, not the Constitution.
The draft regulation was discussed and finalized at a series of meetings of top leaders of the ruling Seven-Party Alliance.
Unlike in the past, a House session can be summoned by the prime minister (PM), and the speaker - under the PM's recommendation - can prorogue the session.
The Regulations also propose to form special committees as required. At present, it has finalized at least three such committees - on security, on implementation of the HoR Proclamation and on House hearings.
The 19-member Special Committee on Security, that comprises the prime minister, the speaker, the defense minister, the home minister, the foreign minister and the leader of the opposition, among others, enjoys full authority for mobilizing the Nepali Army.
Likewise, the Regulations propose enacting a separate law on proclaming the heir to the throne or a regent or a council to announce the regent. According to lawmakers, the government is preparing to table a bill in this regard "soon".
The Regulations deny the king authority to place his royal seal on bills passed by parliament and authorize the speaker to take charge here.
The Regulations have scrapped all clauses related to the "Upper House" and "His Majesty the King". The prime minister, not the king, shall present the government's annual policies and programs during the budget session of parliament.
The Regulations make the government answerable to the House for each and every action or decision it makes. Earlier, it was obliged to inform the House only of those decisions deemed to be of public interest.
The Regulation also provide for garnering public opinion before passing any bill. The Appropriations Bill (except for the clause related to taxation) will now be discussed at the Finance Committee of the House before it is presented before the House.
The new regulations also make provisions for a Hearings Committee in the House that will grill in person would-be chief justices and justices, commissioners of the Commission for Investigation of Abuse of Authority, the auditor general, the chairman and members of the Public Service Commission, commissioners of the Election Commission and Nepalese ambassadors-designate for diplomatic missions abroad.
The Regulations, once endorsed formally by the House most likely on June 10, will allow lawmakers to discuss matters related to the royal family, any matters under consideration in a court of law, and anything done by a judge in the course of discharge of his duties, among other things.
These new provisions will come into effect as the new regulations propose to omit the 11th point in the old regulations that specified topics which, as per Article 56 of the Constitution, can't be discussed or debated in the House.
The new regulations have also made amendments to the Constitution as simple as amending a bill, as per the spirit of the HoR proclamation. Under Clause 136 of the new regulations, any amendment to the Constitution - as long as it's for "resolution of the violent conflict and establishing lasting peace" - can be effected by the House.
Presenting the 77-page draft of the Regulations for consideration in the House, lawmaker Narayan Man Bijukche, head of a committee formed by the House on May 22, said the Regulations were prepared keeping in mind that the HoR is the sovereign body and all state powers can be exercise through it.
Announcing that the proposed regulations were unanimously endorsed for consideration, Speaker Subas Nembang set Thursday as the date for lawmakers to register any amendments, if any, with the House Business Committee. The House is set to approve the Regulations at its next sitting on Saturday.
The Regulations have also changed the Preamble of the old regulations, replacing the phrase "Sub Clause (1) of Article 63 of the Constitution" with "Clause 1.4 of the HoR Proclamation 2006", making it clear that House businesses will henceforth be guided by the HoR Proclamation, not the Constitution.
The draft regulation was discussed and finalized at a series of meetings of top leaders of the ruling Seven-Party Alliance.
Unlike in the past, a House session can be summoned by the prime minister (PM), and the speaker - under the PM's recommendation - can prorogue the session.
The Regulations also propose to form special committees as required. At present, it has finalized at least three such committees - on security, on implementation of the HoR Proclamation and on House hearings.
The 19-member Special Committee on Security, that comprises the prime minister, the speaker, the defense minister, the home minister, the foreign minister and the leader of the opposition, among others, enjoys full authority for mobilizing the Nepali Army.
Likewise, the Regulations propose enacting a separate law on proclaming the heir to the throne or a regent or a council to announce the regent. According to lawmakers, the government is preparing to table a bill in this regard "soon".
The Regulations deny the king authority to place his royal seal on bills passed by parliament and authorize the speaker to take charge here.
The Regulations have scrapped all clauses related to the "Upper House" and "His Majesty the King". The prime minister, not the king, shall present the government's annual policies and programs during the budget session of parliament.
The Regulations make the government answerable to the House for each and every action or decision it makes. Earlier, it was obliged to inform the House only of those decisions deemed to be of public interest.
The Regulation also provide for garnering public opinion before passing any bill. The Appropriations Bill (except for the clause related to taxation) will now be discussed at the Finance Committee of the House before it is presented before the House.
The new regulations also make provisions for a Hearings Committee in the House that will grill in person would-be chief justices and justices, commissioners of the Commission for Investigation of Abuse of Authority, the auditor general, the chairman and members of the Public Service Commission, commissioners of the Election Commission and Nepalese ambassadors-designate for diplomatic missions abroad.
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