KATHMANDU, Nov 10: President Bidya Bhandari has halted the nomination of Gopal Nath Yogi as parliament secretary for more than two months, said sources at the parliament secretariat.
Speaker Onsari Gharti had written to President Bhandari for appointing Yogi to the vacant post of House secretary on August 29. The post of parliament secretary under political appointment was vacant for more than a decade, as former speaker Subash Nembang did not appoint anyone to the post.
Sources claimed that President Bhandari has been holding the nomination upon the pressure from leaders of the main opposition CPN-UML. Some UML leaders had opposed the move of the speaker stating that the appointment was unnecessary.
"If she halts the recommendations of the speaker any longer it will result in confrontation between the two power centers," said a leader of the ruling CPN (Maoist Center), who wished not to be named.
He further claimed that the president, who is the ceremonial head of state, doesn't have any right under the constitution to reject any recommendations from the executive bodies. The parliament has post of four secretaries, two for administrative works and other two for House of Representatives and National Assembly. The parliament has only two secretaries at present.
Bashudev Sharma, press advisor to Speaker Gharti, said that the Speaker is still waiting for reply from the President's Office. "The Speaker is awaiting reply from the President's Office," Sharma told Republica.
Deputy spokesperson of the President's Office Prahlad Pudashini said that the office would be studying the recommendations. "I will let you know after inquiring about the progress related to the file," he said over the telephone.
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