KATHMANDU, Jan 30: Speaker Agni Prasad Sapkota refused to certify the Industrial Enterprises Bill on Wednesday after learning that a sub-section was missing in the bill. The bill was earlier endorsed by both houses of parliament.

Sapkota certified four other bills which were pending for four months in the absence of a speaker following the resignation of Krishna Bahadur Mahara. Mahara had resigned the post after being accused of an attempted rape.

Sapkota refused to certify the Industrial Enterprise Bill upon learning that sub-section 2 of section 20 of the bill was missing.

According to the Ministry of Industry and Commerce, the missing sub-section was about the chairperson of the Industrial and Investment Promotion Board. The original bill signed by the then Minister for Industry and Commerce Matrika Yadav contained a sub-section, which stated that a state minister would be the ex-officio chairperson of the board or a minister in the absence of state minister. But it was found that the sub-section was missing in the copies of the bill distributed to lawmakers. None of the lawmakers and parliament secretariat spotted the flaw and it was endorsed by both houses of parliament.

Secretary at the House of Representatives (HoR) Gopal Nath Yogi said four of the five pending bills were certified and forwarded to the president. “Just one bill is on hold,” he said. 

The four bills certified by the speaker on Wednesday include the Bill on the Operation, Supervision and Coordination of Nepal Police and Provincial Police, Police Adjustment Bill, National Identity Card and Civil Registration Bill and Land Related Bill. They will become law after authentication by the president.

Once the president authenticates the bills, this will pave the way for the much delayed adjustment of Nepal Police personnel in the provinces and formulation of provincial police related laws by the provincial assemblies.

 
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