KATHMANDU, Jan 13: The government will convene the winter session of the Federal Parliament in mid- February. The Council of Ministers has already recommended the president to convene the winter session of parliament.
The four months from mid-December to mid-April are considered the winter session. This year, the government has not given importance to the winter session. However, the Parliament Secretariat informed that the government has done its homework to convene the winter session in mid-February.
Speaker Devraj Ghimire admitted that there has been a delay in convening the winter session but there is still ample time to hold this session.
He mentioned that the pre-budget discussion will be held in the winter session according to the agenda prepared by the Parliament Secretariat.
Winter session of Federal Parliament kicks off
The government on the other hand has shown a clear indication it is planning to issue ordinances by delaying the parliament session. However, the government is silent on the matter of issuing an ordinance so far.
The government has not introduced a single bill since November 2.
Currently, eighteen bills are pending in the House of Representatives and three bills in the National Assembly. Most of these bills are stuck with the committees. Apart from the Finance Bill, only one bill has been approved.
Four bills are stalled in the State Affairs Committee of the House of Representatives. This committee has a bill to amend the Constitutional Council (Functions, Duties, Powers and Procedures) Act 2066 BS and the Monitoring and Evaluation Bill 2076 BS.
The Abuse of Authority (CIAA) Act (Third Amendment) Bill-2076 BS and Corruption Prevention Act (First Amendment) Bill-2076 BS are stuck in this committee. The bill to amend some Nepal Acts brought to amend 79 laws is under discussion in the Legislative Management Committee.
A bill to amend The Commission on Investigation of Enforced Disappeared Persons, Truth and Reconciliation Commission, 2071 BS (2014) and a bill to amend the Constitutional Council (Functions, Duties, Powers and Procedures) Act 2066 BS are also pending in the Law Committee.
In the International Relations and Tourism Committee, the Archives Protection (First Amendment) Bill, 2077 BS is under discussion, while the Public Service Broadcasting Bill 2077 BS, the Bill related to Security Printing, the University Bill, and the School Education Bill are stuck at the Education, Health and Information Technology Committee.
It seems that the parliamentary committees will take more time to finalize the bills. As a result, there is still a possibility that the house meetings will have to be adjourned due to lack of business in the winter session.
