KATHMANDU, Sept 29: President Bidya Devi Bhandari’s decision not to certify the Citizenship Bill has faced widespread criticism. Writ petitions challenging the President’s decision are currently pending at the Supreme Court. But after the end of the term of the House of Representatives, the two bills that reached President Bhandari were approved on Sunday. President Bhandari certified these two bills sent after approval by the Speaker after the end of the term of the House of Representatives.
She certified the bills made to make arrangements for the management of integrated public transport in urban areas and the bill made to amend and unify the laws related to prisons.
Stack of bills stalled in National Assembly
The Citizenship Bill was sent to the President on September 5, among the bills including the Bill to amend and unify the laws related to statistics, the Bill to amend the Standard Measurement and Weight Act, 2025, the Bill to make provisions regarding accreditation, the Yogamaya Ayurveda University, etc were approved on September 13.
Some constitutional experts say that the bill sent for verification will be invalid as the term of the House of Representatives ended on the night of September 17. It was also explained that President Bhandari did not certify the Citizenship Bill because the bill was inactive after the end of the parliament session.
Article 111 (10) of the Constitution stipulates that if the House of Representatives is dissolved or its term expires, such a bill shall become inactive if it is presented to the House of Representatives and is pending at the National Assembly.
