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The Parliament meeting has been scheduled for 1 pm today.

As per the meeting agenda, Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Bishnu Prasad Poudel will present a proposal seeking a discussion on the government's annual budget for the fiscal year 2025/26.

Similarly, State Affairs and Good Governance Committee Chairman Ramhari Khatiwada will present the 'Report of the Committee on the Federal Civil Service Bill, 2082'.

It may be noted that the Parliament meeting has not been able to enter the regular agenda in the past few days due to continuous obstruction by the  opposition parties, demanding the resignation of Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak over the 'visit visa' scam.

The House of Representatives meeting is scheduled to be held at 11 am today.

As per the agenda of the day, a proposal seeking endorsement of the House to send the 'Nepal Aviation Services Authority Bill, 2081' to the concerned committee for clause-wise discussion will be presented.

Similarly, a proposal to send the 'Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal Bill, 2081' to the concerned committee for clause-wise discussion will be tabled. Both these bills are likely to be presented by Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation Badri Prasad Pandey.

Similarly, Minister for Education, Science and Technology Raghuji Pant will present a proposal to discuss the 'Dasarath Chand University of Health Sciences Bill, 2080' that originated in the National Assembly along with the report of the Education, Health and Information Technology Committee. 

Along with discussions on these bills there is an agenda to endorse them as well, said Padma Prasad Pandey, General Secretary of the Federal Parliament Secretariat.

Both Houses of the Federal Parliament are holding meetings today to  discuss the principles and priorities of the Appropriation Bill.

The meeting of the House of Representatives is scheduled for 11 am while the meeting of the National Assembly will start at 11:15 am.

General Secretary of the Federal Parliament Secretariat Padma Prasad Pandeya informed that both Parliaments are scheduled to dwell on the principles and priorities of the Appropriation Bill (except tax) for the upcoming fiscal year 2025/26.

Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Bishnu Prasad Paudel had presented the principles and priorities of the Appropriation Bill on Sunday.

The policies and programs of the government have been endorsed by the Parliament. 

The government has decided to recommend the President to prorogue the current session of the federal Parliament (House of Representatives and National Assembly) effective from midnight (April 1).

The meeting of the Council of Ministers held on Monday evening took a decision in this regard, according to government spokesperson and Minister for Communications and Information Technology, Prithvi Subba Gurung.

The current session of the Parliament had begun on January 31.

The President has the right to summon and prorogue the session of any or both Parliament as per Constitution.

The 'Economic Procedure and Fiscal Responsibility (First Amendment) Bill, 2081' has been tabled in the House of Representatives.

Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Bishnu Prasad Paudel presented the bill in today's meeting of the lower house of the Federal Parliament.

Responding to queries raised by lawmakers who had submitted notice of protest on the occasion, Minister Paudel argued that it was not constitutional that the federal government should make laws only and all development works should be given to the provincial government.

"The statement that the federal government should only make laws and give all the development works to the provincial government may seem attractive to the ear at first. But the country does not make progress in this way. We have a three-tier government, we have provided a structure with executive, legislative and judicial powers at all three levels,” he said.

DPM and Finance Minister Paudel said that the government would move ahead after discussing the tax-related policies while preparing the upcoming fiscal budget.

Lawmakers Prabhu Saha, Prakash Jwala, Prem Suwal, Chitra Bahadur KC, Devendra Poudel and Narayani Sharma had registered a notice of protest against the proposal seeking permission to introduce the Economic Procedure and Financial Responsibility (First Amendment) Bill, 2081 BS.

Saha said the government has not been able to give anything to the people in return for collecting taxes from them while Jwala said that the government has ignored the parliament, parliamentary committees and lawmakers.

Suwal said that the new generation should be cultured and disciplined to make the economic procedure transparent. He said that the incident of vandalisation of the office of the Dean of the Institute of Science and Technology by the students of one of the ruling parties has come to light.

Chitra Bahadur KC demanded that the country's economic development should be done in a proportional manner in practice.

Devendra Poudel opposed the Economic Procedure and Fiscal Responsibility (First Amendment) Bill, 2081, saying it had reduced the role of the Planning Commission.

Narayani Sharma protested that the government had brought the bill through an ordinance without completing all the procedures at a time when the Economic Procedure and Financial Responsibility Bill was moving ahead in the process of discussion in the parliamentary committee.

The meeting had rejected the notice of opposition regarding the Economic Procedure and Fiscal Responsibility (First Amendment) Bill, 2081 by a majority.

Chairperson of the CPN (Maoist Center), Pushpa Kamal Dahal, has urged royalists to seek their place within the democratic system. The crowd participating in the royalist rally are also Nepalis, he said: if we ignore their demand for a better country, the monarchy and other reactionary elements will try to raise their heads.

“My request to the royalists is—find your place within democracy,” said Dahal while addressing Parliament on Tuesday. He emphasized that democracy belongs equally to both himself and former King Gyanendra Shah, a sentiment enshrined in the constitution. However, he warned that if unconstitutional and undemocratic paths were chosen, the revolutionary forces would once again demonstrate their strength.  

“We must remember the glorious sacrifices of different periods in history with wisdom and gratitude because the achievements gained through those sacrifices are now under threat from reactionary forces,” he said.  

Dahal reiterated that attempts were being made to overturn the people’s hard-earned achievements and that the current situation required simultaneous resistance against both the government’s wrongdoings and regressive forces. “There is now a need to fight on two fronts—against the government’s misdeeds and against reactionary elements,” he said.  

He further stated that allowing the former king to reside in Nepal was a testament to the country’s fundamental and liberal republicanism. “The history of monarchy worldwide is written in blood. But Nepal became an exception. Our liberal approach ensured that the former king was not exiled and was given a safe place to stay. That is how Nepal’s republican history was written,” he said.  

However, he cautioned that perceiving this leniency as a weakness would be a grave mistake. “If anyone thinks that this was a compulsion of the revolution, they are completely mistaken. If our liberalism is seen as a weakness, history may once again unfold with great severity,” he warned.  

Dahal reminded everyone that the republic was not only a result of the Maoists’ armed struggle but also the outcome of sacrifices from marginalized communities, ethnic groups, regions and genders.   “Let everyone remember this: if anyone believes that the sovereign people will once again become subjects, there can be no bigger illusion than that,” he asserted. He added that the presence of royalists in a democratic parliament itself was proof that democracy and monarchy were incomparable.  

However, Dahal blamed the government for the growing royalist activities. “The threats to democracy are not just external. More than external forces, misgovernance by those in power poses a greater challenge from within,” he said. He argued that the declining credibility of the government had emboldened conservative and monarchist forces. 

Dahal, the leader of the main opposition party, also criticized the ruling party for disregarding democratic values, pointing to Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli’s absence during his speech. “When the leader of the main opposition party stands at the rostrum, the prime minister’s continued absence—is it arrogance, lack of etiquette or frustration? You should answer that yourselves,” he remarked.

Previously too, Prime Minister Oli was absent while Dahal addressed the parliament. It is a general trend of the Prime Minister being present while the leader of the main opposition party addresses the parliament and vice-versa. Prime Minister Oli meanwhile was addressing the Koshi Province Assembly on Tuesday.

After Dahal’s speech, Nepali Congress General Secretary Gagan Thapa expressed disagreement with some of Dahal’s remarks about the government. However, he echoed Dahal’s concerns about the need for the government to regain public trust.  

“During the drafting of the constitution, when I spoke about the need for change, I was accused of treason. Many here faced the same accusations. But this democratic republican system allows us to question and even challenge the system itself,” he said.

Thapa stressed that those who support the constitution must find common ground, whether in the government or in the opposition. “We need to maintain at least a minimal level of consensus—to protect the constitution, safeguard constitutional bodies and ensure proper governance,” he said.  

He also urged political leaders to engage in civil and informed debates rather than spreading hatred.   “We can criticize and question, but let’s not spread hate. If we allow hatred to consume us, it will take us all down. Let’s compete, but through civilized and informed discussions, both inside and outside Parliament,” he said.  

Thapa further urged the government to respond to the opposition’s concerns without arrogance. “If the government listens to the grievances of citizens and addresses them without arrogance, those who stand for change will unite through dialogue and good governance,” he added. 

He also stressed the need to address public dissatisfaction. “The people who stood by political parties during the democratic movement are now disillusioned. The government must listen to their concerns and address them before it’s too late,” he warned.

The 34th Annual Report of the Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA), 2080/81 has been tabled in the House of Representatives.

Minister for Communications and Information Technology, Prithvi Subba Gurung, on behalf of Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli presented the report in the HoR session today.

Addressing the House of Representatives on Thursday, Pushpa Kamal Dahal, the leader of the main opposition party, the CPN (Maoist Centre), started his speech by expressing dissatisfaction at the absence of Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli and senior leaders from the ruling party, the CPN-UML. 

Dahal remarked that, as per parliamentary traditions, when a leader of the opposition addresses the House, it is customary for the leader of the largest party and the Prime Minister, to be present. While Nepali Congress President Sher Bahadur Deuba arrived a bit late, Prime Minister Oli was notably absent.

During an hour-long speech, Dahal voiced his concern regarding the government’s recent decision to issue multiple ordinances. He questioned the constitutional validity of such ordinances as they were brought forward just six before the Parliament was due to convene. 

The former prime minister accused the government of taking a shortcut in issuing ordinances and claimed that it demonstrated a lack of proper intention and transparency. He raised questions about the necessity of such ordinances, especially considering that the ruling parties had previously boasted of their strong mandate and two-thirds majority. 

Dahal expressed skepticism over the recent ordinances related to land reforms. He questioned whether the new land-related ordinances would ease the process of granting land rights to marginalized communities, including Dalits, indigenous people, and squatters. He warned that the amendments might complicate matters rather than solve them. Dahal also highlighted the discrepancies between the government’s actions and the promises made regarding land rights, emphasizing that the new policies appeared to favor the wealthy and urban elites over the rural poor.

“These amendments seem to benefit the land mafia and real estate developers, while leaving the poor and marginalized people struggling for their basic rights,” he noted.

A significant portion of Dahal’s address was dedicated to the government’s social media regulation bill. He said that while he had long been aware of Prime Minister Oli’s intentions regarding social media regulation, the tacit support of other ruling parties, especially the Congress, to the controversial bill was alarming.

He questioned Congress’s alignment with the government’s move and said, “I know Oli’s intentions, but how can you support such a bill now? Yesterday, you stood against such measures, and today you are supporting them.” He asked the Congress leaders if they really want a country where a citizen is barred from asking questions, from holding government to account.

He accused the government of trying to move forward in an authoritarian manner and intentionally causing distress to the citizens. He added that the government’s political retribution and the misuse of state power had become commonplace

In an attempt to defend himself from allegations related to the controversial ‘Shera Durbar’ incident in Nuwakot, Dahal challenged the government to investigate his possible involvement. “If I am involved in the Shera Darbar case in any way, let the investigation begin,” he said. He further claimed that the government was using the issue to tarnish his reputation, with an aim to find some link, no matter how tenuous, to attack him and his party.

 “The government has been working hard to frame me in this case,” Dahal said.

The case involves the alleged illegal possession of land in Nuwakot, which is thought to have been occupied by Dahal’s former private secretary. Following a prolonged investigation, the Central Investigation Bureau (CIB) of Nepal Police has concluded that the land should be returned to the government.

Dahal also accused the government of causing hardship to the citizens. He expressed frustration over the government’s tendency to press serious charges even in situations where a simple resolution could have been found. “In situations where things could be settled through discussions, citizens are being shackled and dragged from one district to another, with severe charges being placed. Is this arrogance of power, or fear of the people?”

He also accused the government of trying to move forward in an authoritarian manner and intentionally causing distress to the citizens. He added that the government’s political retribution and the misuse of state power had become commonplace.

He linked this to the incident involving the Pathibhara Cable Car dispute, where the police had fired shots, and the introduction of the social media regulation bill, which he argued was an attempt to legally control freedom of expression. “What is this? Are you above the people’s sovereignty? Are you above the constitution? Are you the masters and the citizens your slaves?”

Further criticism was directed at the government’s treatment of Rabi Lamichhane, the leader of the Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP), who was suspended from Parliament despite being released on bail by the court. Dahal raised concerns about the political motives behind Lamichhane’s suspension, accusing the government of orchestrating a political revenge campaign.

He addressed the Speaker of the House, requesting a re-evaluation of Lamichhane’s suspension, calling into question its fairness and constitutional grounds. “Even after being released on bail, how can Lamichhane’s suspension be justified? We need to reconsider this issue in light of the constitutional principles of justice,” he urged the Speaker.

Dahal emphasized that the current government’s strength was evident when it came to pursuing political revenge. He argued that the opposition leaders were being unfairly painted as villains despite the lack of evidence.

Lawmaker Sobita Gautam from RSP also expressed regret over the decision to suspend Lamichhane and urged for a swift correction of the decision. “My party and I deeply regret this decision, and I request the Parliament Secretariat to correct it as soon as possible,” Gautam said. “I humbly request that the suspension be revoked.”

“Parliamentary rules have provisions for suspension only if an MP is sent to jail by a court. But the suspension notice was posted without a court case,” she said. “The law was meant to prevent MPs from being targeted unnecessarily.”

Similarly, Sumana Shrestha, MP from RSP raised concerns about the social media bill, which has been registered in Parliament, and highlighted the growing protests from youth against the bill. She brought the issue to the government’s attention. “Protests have started on social media since yesterday. There is a growing voice against the social media bill the government has registered,” she said. “Will the government listen to this voice? I am raising this issue to attract the government’s attention.”

She also suggested engaging the youth for further discussions on the bill. “Invite the youth and let them discuss. We’ve seen that the bill can pass through this House even if they are pushed. What is content creation? The government has brought this bill without even understanding basic social media matters,” Shrestha said.

Both the ruling and opposition parties are actively preparing their strategies for the upcoming winter session of Parliament, set to commence on Jan 31. Traditionally, the winter session is regarded as a ‘bills session’, but as usual, it is likely to be overshadowed by political disputes between the ruling coalition and the opposition.

The ruling parties, led by Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli, are working to present a united front on key issues, particularly the government’s decision to introduce five ordinances just before the session. Prime Minister Oli has emphasized the need for all ruling parties and their leaders to defend the government’s decisions and policies. However, his concerns are growing as some senior leaders of the ruling Nepali Congress (NC) have openly criticized the government’s performance and its move to issue ordinances. NC President Sher Bahadur Deuba has urged his lawmakers to refrain from publicly criticizing the ordinances, while the party has invited experts to brief lawmakers on the benefits of these ordinances.

Despite these efforts, dissatisfaction persists within the NC. During the party’s Parliamentary Party meeting, lawmakers expressed concerns over the government’s poor performance. While Prime Minister Oli has publicly thanked the NC for its support, senior NC leaders, including Shekhar Koirala, continue to criticize the ordinances and other government actions. NC Vice-president Purna Bahadur Khadka has stressed the need for ruling parties to present a unified stance, avoiding conflicting opinions. Echoing this sentiment, UML Chief Whip Mahesh Bartaula has called on ruling parties to highlight the advantages of the ordinances to justify the government’s decisions.

Meanwhile, opposition parties are gearing up to take a more aggressive stance in Parliament. They plan to strongly criticize the government’s decision to issue ordinances and raise other contentious issues, such as proposed changes to electoral laws aimed at introducing a threshold to prevent the emergence of new political parties. Additionally, the opposition will focus on the case of Rastriya Swatantra Party Chairperson Rabi Lamichhane, who is under investigation for alleged involvement in the misappropriation of cooperative funds. Opposition parties view this as political revenge and a targeted move against Lamichhane.

The opposition also intends to highlight the lack of progress on the constitution amendment process, which was agreed upon by the NC and UML. The Parliament Secretariat has prepared a two-week calendar for the session, with top leaders from all parties set to address the House on the first day. The ordinances introduced by the government will also be presented on the same day.

The government aims to enact over a dozen laws during this session, but the political environment remains highly polarized, with sharp divisions between the ruling and opposition parties. Despite the opposition’s protests, the NC and UML, with their strong numerical strength, are well-positioned to pass legislation. Currently, 12 bills are pending in the House of Representatives, and six are in the National Assembly. To expedite the law-making process, the NC and UML have established a two-party mechanism, with UML leader Yogesh Bhattarai and NC leader Jiwan Pariyar leading the effort.

The government has tabled a bill on social media regulation in the National Assembly. Minister for Communication and Information Technology, Prithvi Subba Gurung, who is also the government spokesperson, tabled the bill. 

The proposed bill mentions economic fines and imprisonment for social media platforms and their users in nearly a dozen provisions.

The government has proposed imposing a fine of up to Rs 2.5m on individuals operating social media platforms in Nepal without permission or in violation of a ban. Any person or organization found guilty of actions detrimental to national interests could face five years of imprisonment, a fine of up to Rs 500,000, or both.

Section 18(1) of Chapter 5 of the bill states: “No one should engage in or promote any activity that undermines Nepal’s sovereignty, territorial integrity, national security, unity, independence, dignity or national interests, or causes hatred or discord based on class, caste, religion, culture, region or any other basis through social media.” Those found guilty of such acts could face five years in prison, a fine of up to Rs 500,000, or both.

The bill also proposes two years of imprisonment or a fine of up to Rs 300,000 or both for those committing cyberbullying (Section 19), and three years of imprisonment or a fine of up to Rs 500,000 or both for cyberstalking (Section 20). Cyberbullying is defined as acts of harassment, intimidation, threats, humiliation, defamation or rumor-spreading through social media or internet-connected devices. This includes sending, posting or sharing harmful or misleading text, symbols, images, sketches, photos, audio, video, audiovisual content, signals or messages as well as imitating someone’s voice to cause trouble.

Section 21 proposes three years of imprisonment or a fine of up to Rs 1.5m or both for hacking someone’s ID or information. Section 22 suggests similar penalties for phishing or imposter scams.

Section 23 proposes three years of imprisonment or a fine of up to Rs 1.5m or both for extortion or sextortion offenses. Section 24 includes three months of imprisonment or a fine of up to Rs 50,000, or both, for posting or sharing grotesque images, videos, or audios.

Section 25 proposes a penalty of up to two years of imprisonment or a fine of up to Rs 300,000 or both for spreading obscene, false or misleading content. Section 26 suggests similar penalties for uploading or disseminating deepfake videos. Section 27 proposes penalties for writing anonymously on social media, with up to three months of imprisonment or a fine of up to Rs 50,000 or both for those who create or use pseudonymous identities.

Additionally, the bill proposes an extra one year of imprisonment for those who incite or engage in criminal acts on social media, as per the prevailing law. Section 28(2) proposes double the penalty for repeat offenders of any crime under this Act. Public office holders or individuals benefiting from state funds, who commit such offenses, could face up to 50 percent additional punishment. Offenses involving the use of children could incur an additional year of imprisonment.

Laxman D Pant, executive director of Media Action Nepal, shared his concerns on social media regarding the newly-tabled bill saying that the bill aligned with the government’s agenda, if passed without any changes, could lead to a growing influence of those who suppress dissent by labeling it as a crime. This, he warned, would result in the abuse of state powers, discourage those trying to expose injustices, and cultivate a culture of silence. In his post, he also questioned why the rulers failed to remember the fundamental truth of democracy: that power is temporary, and one day, they too may find themselves walking on the streets.

Five ordinances recently got the presidential stamp of approval, giving the ruling coalition some relief at a time when it has been delaying the winter session of the Parliament for quite some time for reasons best known to it.

The five instruments that got the final seal are the Ordinance to Amend Some Nepal Acts related to Promoting Good Governance and Public Service Delivery (2025); the Economic Procedure and Financial Accountability (First Amendment) Ordinance (2025); the Privatization (First Amendment) Ordinance (2025); and the Ordinance to Amend Some Nepal Acts Related to Improving the Economic and Business Environment and Enhancing Investment (2025) and the Ordinance to Amend the Land Act-1964, the Forest Act-2019 and the National Park Act (1973).

Per reports, the President had some reservations vis-a-vis the last ordinance, but they got sorted out, ultimately.     

While the government cites several bills stuck in various parliamentary committees as the reason behind the delay in summoning the session, six opposition parties, including the main opposition—the CPN (Maoist Center)—see a sinister design.

The opposition parties fear that the government is trying to rule through ordinances by avoiding parliamentary scrutiny of its performance.

At a meeting of the opposition parties held at the Center’s parliamentary party office on Wednesday, the opposition camp came down heavily on the government, accusing it of bypassing democratic norms and demanding commencement of the session at the earliest.

On more occasions than one, this daily has stood for parliamentary scrutiny of government moves and against a rule through ordinances. A rule by ordinances undermines the very spirit of a democratic polity worth its name as it gives the already powerful executive more powers to ride roughshod over civil liberties and other cherished democratic values. The ‘Ordinance Raaj’ should be an exception, not the norm. As things stand, there’s no reason why the government should resort to ordinances to run the affairs of the state. 

So, the government should do a course correction, request the President to call the winter session without further delays and stand ready to face parliamentary scrutiny by keeping in mind that delays in convening the session will end up emboldening elements bent on discrediting this polity. 

This week, one of the significant achievements by our major political parties was the passage of the bill to amend the Enforced Disappearances Enquiry, Truth and Reconciliation Commission Act. The amendment had been stalled since 2015 due to disagreements among the major parties, particularly on issues related to serious human rights violations during the conflict era. With this agreement, it is expected that the two transitional bodies—the Truth and Reconciliation Commission and the Commission for the Investigation of Enforced Disappearances—will now function effectively, allowing them to investigate around 65,000 complaints filed by conflict victims.

The bill’s passage has been cautiously welcomed by both the international community and conflict victims, two key stakeholders in the transitional justice process. They are hopeful that the commissions will operate independently, consult with conflict victims, and function effectively. Previously, due to a lack of cooperation from both the international community and conflict victims, the commissions struggled to work effectively. Now, attention is focused on the government’s approach to appointments in these commissions and any potential reservations from the Supreme Court and international community. It is a positive sign that the United Nations, the US, the European Union, and other countries have cautiously welcomed this new development, which could create a favorable environment for the government to address remaining issues. However, there is still a risk that conflict victims may not support the appointments to the commissions. Additionally, it could take 4-5 years to complete investigations into all cases.

Another notable story this week was the signs of potential dispute within the CPN (Maoist Center) during the party’s standing committee meeting. Party’s Deputy General Secretary Janardhan Sharma surprised many by challenging Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal, urging him to step down and hand over leadership to the younger generation. Some leaders, including Dev Gurung, defended Dahal, who has led the party for nearly four decades and has shown no signs of stepping back from active politics. Sharma went so far as to accuse the Dahal of using the Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA) to target him after he criticized the party. Former Speaker Onsari Gharti also suggested that Dahal may have attempted to implicate her and Barsha Man Pun in a gold smuggling investigation.

This situation highlights the growing mistrust between Dahal and other party leaders. If these accusations are true, they should be a wake-up call for those outside the party as well, as the use of state mechanisms to silence both intra-party and inter-party rivals is a troubling trend in Nepali politics. Former Deputy Prime Minister Rabi Lamichhane had faced similar criticisms. The CIAA, a constitutional body meant to operate independently, is now under severe scrutiny. It is time for the CIAA to demonstrate to the public that it does not function under the influence of the government.

Moving on to the intra-party politics within the ruling Nepali Congress, diverging opinions on potential electoral alliances have further complicated matters within the party. NC General Secretary duo Gagan Kumar Thapa and Bishwa Prakash Sharma have long been advocating for a clear policy that the party should not engage in any pre-poll alliances. The same issue surfaced during the party’s meeting this week, where NC President Sher Bahadur Deuba appeared reluctant to give in to the demand of the two general secretaries. Despite being the largest party, the NC faces significant challenges in contesting elections alone, especially if the communist parties remain united. Understandably, Deuba is opposed to the idea of officially eschewing future electoral alliances.

The long-standing power struggle has also resurfaced inside the NC. For quite some time, factions led by party President Deuba, senior leader Shekhar Koirala, and General Secretary Thapa have been at odds. With Deuba ineligible to seek another term as party president, both Thapa and Koirala are vying for leadership. At the same time, Thapa and Koirala are also determined to prevent Deuba from becoming prime minister again, fearing he may use state power to influence the party convention in favor of his preferred successor.

In another story, Indian Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri paid a two-day official visit to Nepal this week. His arrival represents a pivotal moment for both India and Nepal, offering a chance to align their strategic priorities and deepen mutual understanding. A seasoned diplomat with a distinguished reputation as a China specialist, Misri was appointed foreign secretary last month. In line with tradition, his inaugural diplomatic mission took him to neighboring countries, with Nepal being a significant stop.  

His visit followed the recent establishment of a new government in Nepal, led by CPN-UML Chairperson KP Sharma Oli, in coalition with the NC. During his Kathmandu stay, Misri engaged in comprehensive consultations with Nepali leaders, focusing on political and developmental issues of shared concern. About his visit, India’s Ministry of External Affairs said: “Nepal is a priority partner of India under its Neighborhood First Policy. The Foreign Secretary’s visit continued the tradition of regular high-level exchanges between the two countries and helped in advancing our bilateral ties further.”

That’s all for this week. Happy weekend!

The House of Representatives (HoR) on Wednesday endorsed the third amendment to the Enforced Disappearances Enquiry, Truth and Reconciliation Commission Act—a significant step toward addressing human rights violations from the decade-long conflict.

Following the HoR's approval, the bill will proceed to the National Assembly (NA) before being presented to President Ram Chandra Poudel for final authentication. The government aims to complete this process within the next 10 days, paving the way for new appointments to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission and the Commission of Investigation on Enforced Disappeared Persons—two transitional justice bodies established 10 years ago.

For a long time, major political parties held differing views on some provisions of the bill, but the Nepali Congress, CPN-UML, and CPN (Maoist Center) now claim to have reached an agreement. On Wednesday, all parties in Parliament supported this consensus. However, conflict victims have already voiced concerns, and the international community has yet to respond to the new agreement. Without their support, these transitional justice mechanisms may struggle to achieve meaningful progress.

While the agreement among the three parties is a positive development, it does not guarantee that the two commissions will be able to address the approximately 65,000 complaints filed by conflict victims. Experts caution that it could take years to investigate all the cases and deliver justice.

Addressing the House, Nepali Congress President Sher Bahadur Deuba stated that the amended bill aligns with the concerns raised by Nepal’s Supreme Court and meets international standards. He expressed hope that the international community would welcome the bill's passage.

CPN (Maoist Center) Chair Pushpa Kamal Dahal, a key figure in the peace process, emphasized that there will be no blanket amnesty for serious human rights violations, a major concern of the international community. He noted, “Previously, there was a misconception that Nepal was granting amnesty for serious human rights violations. We have now reached an agreement that ensures no blanket amnesty. I believe this clarifies any confusion for the international community.” Dahal also mentioned that the international community has welcomed the agreement reached among the key political parties on contentious issues within the transitional justice mechanism.

In the past, both commissions were hindered by a weak mandate. While addressing the House, the prime minister pledged to establish stronger commissions based on this political agreement and committed the government's full support to their work.

It remains to be seen how the conflict victims and the international community will receive the amendment to the transitional justice laws. US Ambassador to Nepal Dean R Thompson was among the first diplomats to welcome the bill.

“Pleased to see the transitional justice bill passed by the House of Representatives today. Congratulations to the people of Nepal. This is a meaningful moment in Nepal’s journey to shaping its own peaceful, prosperous, resilient, and democratic future,” he wrote on X (formerly Twitter).

“Pleased to see the transitional justice bill passed by the House of Representatives today. Congratulations to the people of Nepal. This is a meaningful moment in Nepal’s journey to shaping its own peaceful, prosperous, resilient, and democratic future,”  said Dean R Thompson, US Ambassador to Nepal.

UN Resident Coordinator to Nepal Hanaa Singer-Hamdy in her X post has said: “Endorsement of TJ bill is a crucial step in completing the peace process. This milestone brings victims closer to truth, justice and reparations. It is imperative to engage victims at all stages of its operationalization. As a partner for peace, the UN stands ready to support.” 

Similarly, Veronique Lorenzo, Ambassador of the European Union to Nepal, said: Congratulations to Nepal and Nepali people for this historic achievement: passing of Nepal led and owned, victim-centric TRC bill by House of Representative.

A parliamentary committee’s report on Investigation of Enforced Disappeared Persons, Truth and Reconciliation Commission (Third Amendment) Bill, 2081 has been tabled in the House of Representatives (HoR).

Chairperson of the Law, Justice and Human Rights Committee, Bimala Subedi tabled the committee's report on the bill in the Parliament meeting today.

The HoR had sent the bill to the committee for clause-wise discussion. It may be noted that the committee’s meeting on August 8 had unanimously passed the report on the bill.

Also today, Chairperson of the Infrastructure Development Committee Deepak Bahadur Singh tabled the committee’s annual report, 2080.

Chairperson Singh shared that some development projects have fallen victims to political reasons, making their outcome uncertain.

There are several problems such as transfer of employees with the change of minister, not allowing the employees engaged in the program to work in the same project until completion, and political interference in project works.

Likewise, Chairperson of the Education, Health and Information Technology Committee Amar Bahadur Thapa tabled the annual report of the committee for the year 2081 BS.

In the meeting, Speaker Devraj Ghimire informed the House that the names of the members in the implementation of the state directive principles, policies and responsibilities under the joint committee, and monitoring and evaluation committee have been changed.

The next meeting of the Parliament will be held at 1 pm on August 14.

Two separate reports have been tabled in the Parliament on Monday.

In the Parliament meeting held today, Minister for Communications and Information Technology Rekha Sharma, presented the "Annual Report of the Government of Nepal, Fiscal Year 2079-80BS". She tabled the report on behalf of Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal.

Similarly, Ramhari Khatiwada, the President of the State Affairs and Good Governance Committee, presented the committee's report relating to the "Constitutional Council (Duties, Functions, Powers and Procedures) (first amendment) Bill-2081 BS".

Presenting the report, President Khatiwada briefed the House about the need to bring the bill and its relevance.

He said that once the bill gets endorsed by the House, the appointments in the constitutional bodies will take place based on qualifications and competency instead of political sharing.  

A meeting of the opposition parties held on Sunday decided to allow Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister Rabi Lamichhane to speak in the Parliament.

The meeting of the opposition parties held at the Parliament building in New Baneshwor under the leadership of the Nepali Congress decided to allow Home Minister Lamichhane to speak in Parliament, a leader, who attended the meeting, said.

“Home Minister Lamichhane, who is accused of embezzling funds of cooperatives, has been saying he should be allowed to speak in the Parliament. He will speak in the Parliament and we will listen,” he said.

Rastriya Prajatantra Party spokesperson Gyanendra Shahi informed that the opposition parties have agreed to allow Lamichhane to speak in the Parliament.

After Lamichhane expressed his views in the Parliament, the opposition parties would seek time from the Speaker, he said.

“We will allow the Home Minister to speak in the Parliament. Then, we will ask time with the Speaker for the opposition parties to speak. Probably, Nepali Congress will speak on behalf of the opposition parties,” Shahi said.

The ruling and opposition parties have agreed to form a parliamentary committee to investigate fraud charges against Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister Lamichhane.

Mahesh Bartaula of CPN-UML, Jeevan Pariyar of the Nepali Congress, Shishir Khanal of the Rastriya Swatantra Party are the members of the task force formed under the headship of Law Minister Padam Giri.