KATHMANDU, June 16: With the flexibility shown by main opposition Nepali Congress (NC), major political parties are likely to endorse the much-awaited parliament's new regulation from the next House meeting on Sunday.

Leaders of the main opposition party told Speaker Onsari Gharti on Wednesday that the leaders are ready to endorse the bill through voting in the parliament meeting on Sunday even if they can't find a common ground on the issue.

Speaker Gharti rescheduled the business set for the parliament meeting for Sunday after NC leaders sought few more days with the speaker for a last-ditch effort to forge consensus on the disputed provisions in the regulation. 

Hearings over recommendations for chief justice, 11 justices, ambassadors and chief election commissioner have been halted for months due to the delay in endorsing the new parliament regulation.

“We are for taking the hearings process forward without any delay. It would be great if we succeed in forging consensus over the disputed issue. If not, we will be ready to endorse the regulation through majority voting process,” NC leader Prakash Sharan Mahat told Republica. Mahat, Krishna Sitaula, Purna Bahadur Khadka among other leaders from NC were present during the meeting with the speaker. 

Leaders from the ruling UML in the meeting also seconded NC's demand to postpone the business till Sunday. A meeting between NC President Sher Bahadur Deuba and Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli was positive over endorsing the regulation, said a NC leader.

“I had planned to table the regulation for endorsement as per the suggestion from political parties. As they requested me to postpone the plan for few days citing some positive developments I decided in their favor,” said Gharti in the House meeting on Wednesday.

Gharti's press advisor Basudev Sharma said the speaker plans to table the regulation even if parties fail to forge consensus. 

Following disputes between ruling CPN-UML, CPN (Maoist Center) and main opposition NC over the size of parliamentary hearings special committee, the parliament is yet to enact its new regulation for eight months after the promulgation of the new constitution. Ruling parties have been insisting for 15-member hearings committee citing a provision in article 292 of the new constitution while the NC has demanded continuation of the existing 75-member hearings committee citing transitional provision in the constitution. 

A parliamentary panel entrusted to draft the new regulation had submitted the report keeping option open for both ideas after failing to finalize it through the committee.

 
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