The main opposition party, Nepali Congress (NC), has expressed strong objection to Prime Minister Balendra Shah’s absence from Parliament.

Speaking during a session of the House of Representatives, NC leader Bhisma Raj Angdembe questioned the Prime Minister’s failure to attend the proceedings and address the House following his return from the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA).

"It would have been proper for the Prime Minister to inform Parliament about his official engagements and the outcomes of the UN General Assembly after returning," Angdembe said. "Unfortunately, that did not happen."

Cautioning the Prime Minister against disregarding established parliamentary rules and tradition, Angdembe noted that democratic procedures bind the government as much as any other institution.

"Procedures are not just for others; they must apply equally to the government. In a democracy, the true value of a rule is demonstrated when it applies to oneself," he stated.

Angdembe linked PM Shah's absence to a breach of parliamentary decorum, especially at a time when the main opposition party was raising critical questions in the House.

"Mr. Prime Minister, Parliament is not an institution that operates at your personal convenience," Angdembe emphasized. "When major questions are raised by the opposition, the absence of the Prime Minister violates parliamentary decorum."

He demanded that the executive clarify the Prime Minister's current engagements to the House. "While Parliament is in session, where is the Prime Minister? What pressing work in his office prevented him from attending? Parliament has a right to know," Angdembe demanded.

Concluding his address, the NC leader expressed concern over the message being signaled to the public and future generations regarding democratic norms.

"Attending Parliament only when convenient and leaving when it is not—is this the parliamentary culture we wish to build? Is this the lesson in parliamentary decorum we are passing on to the Gen Z generation?" Angdembe asked.