KATHMANDU, May 22: In a major step, President Bidya Devi Bhandari has returned the ‘Passport Bill-2075’ without authentication. According to a press statement released by the Office of the President, Sheetal Niwas, President sent the bill to amend the Passports Act to the House of Representatives for reconsiderations.
In the statement, it has been mentioned that the President has sent the bill to amend the Passports Act back for the reconsideration as per the article 113 (3) of the Constitution of Nepal.
The bill was sent to the President for the authentication after being endorsed by both the upper and lower houses of the parliament.
Earlier, President Bhandari on Tuesday called upon two parliamentarians Ram Narayan Bidari and Radhe Shyam Adhikari, seeking their views on the controversial bill.
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The controversial bill to amend Passports Act was endorsed by both the upper and lower houses of the parliament after adding a provision for allowing them to use diplomatic passport for 'special purpose' in addition to official visits. The original bill tabled by the government in the parliament had proposed barring the use of diplomatic passports in any other purpose except official visits.
The government had proposed limiting the use of diplomatic passports after some lawmakers were arrested for giving their passports to other individuals in the recent past.
There was no specific provision about the use of diplomatic passports until the new law came into effect.
Section 6 of the bill has been amended stating that diplomatic passports can be used during foreign visits for 'government works or special purpose'.
