First session of HoR commences

KATHMANDU: The first session of the House of Representatives (HoR), following the March 5 election, commenced today in the multipurpose hall of the under-construction Federal Parliament Building in Singha Durbar, Kathmandu.

Prime Minister Balendra Shah, members of the Council of Ministers, former prime minister and Nepali Communist Party (NCP) Coordinator Pushpa Kamal Dahal, Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) leader Rabi Lamichhane, Shram Sanskriti Party Chair Harka Raj Rai, senior leaders of Nepali Congress and CPN (UML) and other newly elected lawmakers are attending the meeting.

President Ramchandra Paudel had summoned a session of both houses of the Federal Parliament for 2:00 pm today, the Office of the President of Nepal announced on March 30. The 275-member HoR comprises 182 members from the RSP, 38 from the Nepali Congress, 25 from the CPN (UML), 17 from the NCP, seven from the Shram Sanskriti Party, five from the Rastriya Prajatanta Party and one independent member.

Three ordinances are likely to be presented during the session. Home Minister Sudhan Gurung is expected to table the Voter List (First Amendment) Ordinance, 2082 BS, the House of Representatives Members Election (First Amendment) Ordinance, 2082 BS, and the Nepal Special Service (Second Amendment) Ordinance, 2082 BS.

The senior-most member by age, Arjun Narasingh KC, read out a letter regarding the summoning of the parliamentary session by the President and a letter from the Office of the President concerning the appointment of the prime minister and the formation of the Council of Ministers.

Federal Parliament Secretary General Padma Prasad Pandey said the session chair will present a proposal for conducting HoR proceedings until formal rules are framed in accordance with Article 104, and will seek approval from the House. The chair will also nominate members to preside over meetings in his absence.

Lawmakers will have the opportunity to express their views along party lines, and the senior-most member presiding over the session will fix the date for the election of the Speaker of the HoR in accordance with Rule 7 of the HoR Regulations, 2079 BS.

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