A PHSC meeting held at Singha Durbar “unanimously” decided to conduct hearings of new envoys to various 10 countries only after receiving an “inclusive” list of nominations from the government. [break]
A cabinet meeting held on January 17 had nominated six career diplomats and four political appointees to fill 10 of the total 12 vacant positions of envoys.
Those nominated for envoys from among career diplomats include Shanker Bairagi (Geneva), Rudra Nepal (Australia), Mukti Nath Bhatta (Denmark), Bharat Raj Paudyal (Pakistan) and Paras Ghimire (Myanmar) and Pralhad Prasain (Israel).
Likewise, the cabinet had nominated Maoist party loyalists Ravi Mohan Sapkota (Russia), Ram Mani Pokharel (Belgium), Dr Maya Kumari Sharma (Qatar) and Kaman Singh Lama (South Korea).
“Since the list of envoys is not fully inclusive of various groups including Madhesis, Dalits and women, the meeting unanimously decides to conduct the parliamentary hearing only after the government sends a new list after revising the nominations on the ground of inclusiveness,” states a decision made by the PHSC meeting on Friday.
Article 33 (Part D1) of Interim Constitution states that Madhesis, Dalits, Aadibasis, women would be proportionately represented in all state structures.
Most lawmakers in the PHSC had suggested directing the government to reconsider the nominations.
NC lawmaker Laxman Ghimire and Maoist lawmaker Agni Sapkota, however, argued for moving ahead with the hearing process saying that the government might not have been able to ensure inclusiveness given the majority of envoys picked were career diplomats.
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