Winter session, which is also known as the bill session, generally lasts for one or one-and-a-half month, but the ongoing session has been going on for nearly three months, perhaps the longest in the country´s history, thanks to continued disruption of the House by the major political parties. [break]
The disruption has not only affected normal House business, but also its prorogation, affecting the beginning of the budget session that normally begins latest by mid-July. "There is no way out until the government takes initiatives for the smooth functioning of parliamentary business," said Speaker Subas Nembang.
Since the winter session started on March 29, the House proceedings have been disrupted by the major political parties turn by turn. During the period, the House entered into its normal business nine times only. According to a parliament secretariat official, approval of two bills -- Domestic Violence (Crime and Punishment) and Security of Health Workers -- is the only achievement of the current session.
The CPN-UML disrupted the House twice over the alleged murder of party cadre Prachanda Thaiba by the Maoists in Butwal on April 7. The House meeting started on and off for a couple of days, before the Nepali Congress started disrupting it over the failure of the Maoists to return "the seized private properties" and then to press the Maoist-led government not to take action against Chief of Army Staff Rookmangud Katawal until May 3.
The NC stopped House disruption only after the resignation of then prime minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal on May 4, but it was already the turn of the Maoists to disrupt the House in the name of "civilian supremacy" after the President vetoed the Maoist-led government´s decision to sack Katawal. Since May 4, the Maoists have disrupted the House proceedings regularly and are adamant on not letting the House resume and its prorogation until and unless the president´s move is rectified. "The three major political parties did not give any chance to other parties to disrupt the House," says a parliament secretariat official, jokingly.
There has been virtually no attempt to find political consensus on resuming the House except that Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal met with Pushpa Kamal Dahal in Godawari a few days ago to end the impasse. Though it was reported that they had agreed to resolve the deadlock, their agreement did not fruit.
According to a leader, Speaker Nembang held a meeting with party chief whips in the parliament and urged them to take initiatives to pave the way for House prorogation. Nembang was of the opinion that the House should be immediately prorogued so that the budget session could be summoned after a couple of days. "Though all the leaders have agreed in principal to end the deadlock, I am not so hopeful about a breakthrough," he said.
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