KATHMANDU, March 17: Speaker Agni Prasad Sapkota has summoned the chiefs of various lower house committees to inquire about the delay in endorsement of various bills under discussion in the parliamentary panels. The speaker has called for a meeting in this regard for Wednesday. 

At least 13 bills are currently under discussion at different parliamentary committees of the lower house including the much awaited Citizenship Bill and the Federal Civil Service Bill. The two bills are awaiting House endorsement for over a year. 

“I have convened a meeting of House committee chairpersons for Wednesday to inquire the committee heads about the pending bills including the Citizenship Bill,” said Sapkota on Monday. “I was taken aback upon hearing a case of an individual who was deprived of citizenship even though the Supreme Court had ordered the concerned authorities three times to grant the person Nepal’s citizenship certificate.” 

In an interaction with journalists on Monday, Speaker Sapkota said he has talked with leaders of various political parties about the delay in endorsement of the Citizenship Bill. “I will put my utmost effort in this issue,” he added. 

At least 44 bills are awaiting parliamentary approval including a private bill. But, as the bills session of the parliament is nearing prorogation, the House of Representatives has managed to endorse just two bills in three months. Speaker Sapkota admitted that important bills are under discussion in the parliament since a long time. 

Although the lower house had earlier endorsed 18 bills, followed by 13 and 16 bills respectively in the last two sessions, the ongoing session of the house has failed to expedite endorsement of a number of bills. 

“The speaker has summoned us for a meeting on Wednesday. I think it is a regular meeting between House committee heads and speaker under the parliamentary regulation,” said Shashi Shreshha, chairperson of the State Affairs Committee. 

The committee has failed to endorse the Citizenship Bill for over a year following differences between the political parties and lawmakers in the committee. 

“I have been drawing the attention of party leaders over the stalemate in the committee over the Citizenship Bill,” said Shrestha. 

According to a minister, who did not want to be named, the government has been planning to prorogue the winter session of parliament in three weeks, which means the bill is unlikely to be passed from the ongoing house session.

 
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