Submit your Article

Speaker Devraj Ghimire today held discussions with Acting Chair of the Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) Dol Prasad Aryal, and Chair of the Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP) Rajendra Lingden seeking their cooperation to create an environment conducive to ending the ongoing obstructions in the House.

During his meeting with Aryal at New Baneshwor, the Speaker urged the RSP to change the form of parliamentary protest, keeping in mind the constitutional obligation to begin budget discussions within the stipulated timeline. 

In response, Aryal stated that the party would continue its obstruction but pledged to make parliamentary proceedings more decent. 

It may be noted that the chief whips of various political parties had earlier drawn the Speaker’s attention to ‘non-parliamentary performance' during the House of Representatives (HoR) obstruction on Friday.

The Speaker also sought the cooperation of RPP Chair Lingden in resuming House business. 

According to the Speaker’s private secretariat, he spoke with Lingden over the phone, requesting him to consider the constitutional necessity of starting budgetary discussions and to cooperate  in resuming House proceedings.

House of Representatives Devraj Speaker Ghimire said that the Parliament meeting will commence from 2 pm today.

The Speaker said so after observing the photo exhibition entitled 'Mountain Tourism: Our Pride, Our Identity' organized by Rastriya Samachar Samiti, the National News Agency to commemorate the 18th Republic Day, today.

"The House does not necessarily have to be obstructed, but it is. The meeting of the House of Representatives will be held from 2 pm today. Generally, meetings used to be scheduled for 11 am and 1 am, but today the meeting has been set for 2 pm. I hope that the Parliament will start from 2 pm," he said on the occasion.

Speaker Ghimire said that the House meeting was disrupted just when it was about to hold discussions on important agendas of the budget. "Now, it is necessary to reduce the number of lawmakers taking part in the deliberations and to conduct the discussions according to the procedure," the Speaker said, adding that the House obstruction has already caused the damage and the agenda for now should be set accordingly, and the discussion on the budget should be concluded according to the procedure.

Speaker Ghimire asserted that the meeting agenda would now be set in order to conclude the deliberations on the budget within the fixed timeline.

Speaker of the House of Representatives (HoR) Devraj Ghimire held a meeting with the Chief Whips of the three major parties in a bid to resume the House proceedings.

Speaker Ghimire held the meeting with  Nepali Congress Chief Whip Shyam Kumar Ghimire, CPN-UML Chief Whil Nepali Mahesh Kumar Bartaula and CPN (Maoist Center) Chief Whip Hitraj Pandey in Singha Durbar this morning.

During the meeting, Speaker Ghimire expressed his  dissatisfaction, stating that although the parliamentary meetings have been postponed multiple times for consensus among political parties, no result has been seen. 

Saying that discussions on the budget for the upcoming fiscal year could not begin due to the obstruction in Parliament, he urged the parties to consider constitutional limits and practical aspects. 

Main opposition Maoist Center Chief Whip Pandey said that party Chair Pushpa Kamal Dahal has convened a meeting of opposition parties in Baneshwor today, and thereafter they would express their stance. 

Ruling UML Chief Whip Bartaula and Nepali Congress Chief Whip Ghimire reiterated their stance that they could not agree to the opposition's demand for the resignation of the Home Minister and the formation of an investigation committee to carry out investigation into the 'visit visa scam'.

Speaker Devraj Ghimire has issued a ruling to the government to ascertain the truth behind the death of Prisa Shah at Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology (KIIT) in Odisha, India.

During a meeting of the House of Representatives on Monday, lawmakers drew the attention of the government to the demise of Sah, a Nepali student at KIIT in India.

Sah was found dead at her hostel room on Thursday evening.

Saying that his attention has been drawn to the issue raised by the lawmakers in the emergency time of the meeting, Speaker Ghimire directed the government to initiate high-level diplomatic efforts with the Indian government and provide necessary legal assistance to the family.

“The mysterious deaths of students, who had gone abroad to study with dreams of a bright future, one after another are also a serious question linked to the sensitivity and responsibility of the nation,” he said, adding, “I direct the government to take deep interest in this incident and to initiate high-level diplomatic talks with the Indian government to ascertain the truth and provide necessary legal assistance to the family.”

Speaker Devraj Ghimire has underscored the need for collaboration among all stakeholders to ensure social security, skill development of workers, technology-friendly environment, equal opportunities and dignified labour. 

Issuing a message on the occasion of the World Labor Day (May Day), he extended best wishes to all the workers, labour activists, and trade unions in Nepal, saying the issues of child labour, inequality between working men and women, opaque employment system and exploitation in foreign employment indicate need of a stronger policy and monitoring mechanism.

The Labor Day is a day of solidarity with our shared campaign towards building an inclusive, just and dignified society, Speaker Ghimire said the implementation of the law ensuring the rights of the workers was challenging. 

"The Constitution has institutionalized the rights of workers as the basis of economic and social justice. Article 34 guarantees the 'right to labor', which clearly stipulates the responsibility of the state on matters such as fair wages, safe and dignified labour environment and social security”, the message reads.

A Nepali parliamentary delegation led by Speaker of the House of Representatives (HoR) Devraj Ghimire has left for Uzbekistan today to attend the 150th Assembly of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) and the 4th Summit of the Non-Aligned Movement Parliamentary Network.

The delegation includes members of Parliament Shyam Kumar Ghimire, Anjan Shakya, Suryaman Dong Tamang, Sovita Gautam, Secretary General of the Federal Parliament Padma Prasad Pandey and Secretary of the House of Representatives Harkaraj Rai.

The annual assembly of the Organization and the fourth summit of the Non-Aligned Network will be held in Tashkent, the capital of Uzbekistan, from April 5 to 9.

"Speaker Ghimire will address the meeting on "Parliamentary Action for Social Development and Justice."

Similarly, lawmaker Shakya is scheduled to participate in the Forum of Women Parliamentarians and lawmaker Gautam in the Forum of Young Parliamentarians, and lawmaker Shakya is also scheduled to present her candidacy on behalf of the Asia-Pacific region in the Standing Committee on Sustainable Development.

Speaker Ghimire is scheduled to deliver a speech on "Commemorating 70 years of Bandung Spirit: Role of Parliament in Adhering to Bandung Principles" at the 4th Summit of the Parliamentary Network to be held on April 6.

The Federal Parliament Secretariat has said that there will also be 'sideline' meetings with the Speakers of various countries on the occasion.

Speaker Devraj Ghimire has extended his best wishes for goodwill, peace, stability and mutual understanding among all Nepali people. 

In a message of best wishes today, Speaker Ghimire extended best wishes to the entire Nepali Muslim community on the occasion of Eid-ul-Fitr. 

He expressed the belief that such festivals would further strengthen mutual unity, reconciliation and religious tolerance. "May the grand festival, which comes after the practice of fasting, spiritual purity, self-restraint and charity during the month of Ramadan, bring happiness, peace and prosperity to all", reads the message. 

The tradition of strengthening the relationship between the communities has made this festival more meaningful, the Speaker noted in the message. 

"Nepal is a country with multi-ethnic, multi-religious and multi-cultural diversity and the Constitution has ensured religious freedom by respecting all religions, cultures and traditions", the message further stated. 

Speaker Devaj Ghimire has described the incident that took place at Tinkune on Friday was an attack on democracy and urged the political parties to create an environment to hold a discussion and debate on the issue in Parliament.

In a meeting with the Chief Whips of the political parties held at the Parliament Building, New Baneshwar today, he called on the parties to give a sense that the Parliament is active by holding discussions on the incident that took place in the country.

Speaker Ghimire said it would not be appropriate to disrupt the House under any circumstances when the situation calls for the House to carry out its business even if it was not in session.

Chief Whip of the ruling CPN-UML Mahesh Kumar Bartaula said the Prime Minister would address the House meeting on March 31.

Also Read: Attack on Annapurna Media Network evokes widespread condemnation

He informed that there was a telephonic conversation between the Prime Minister and the leader of the opposition parties on the issue of removing the obstruction of Parliament.

According to him, the Prime Minister has called for an all-party meeting today itself.

Meanwhile, the ruling party has requested the opposition parties to open the obstruction of the House through dialogue. The opposition parties, however, said their stance has not changed.

Speaker Devraj Ghimire has pointed out the need to further strengthen our cooperation with India for Nepal's sustainable development with a focus on an investment increase for promotion of mutual interests. 

In his address to the Kasthamandap Dialogue organised by the Foundation for Peace, Development and Socialism, here today, the Speaker stressed this. 

In the Dialogue centered on Belt and Road Initiate (BRI) and Nepal-China cooperation, the Speaker called for identifying new potential areas for Nepal-China cooperation and include them as projects under the BRI. 

As a close neighbor and good friend of China, Nepal takes pride in China's remarkable progress and aims to benefit from its extraordinary development through a broader economic partnership, Ghimire remarked. "We highly appreciate China's support and cooperation in Nepal's developmental endeavors," he added, expressing hope for significant assistance from the northern neighbor as Nepal moves towards graduating from the category of Least Developed Country (LDC) to a middle-income country by 2026 and also for the sustainability of this status.

Ghimire further highlighted that Nepal's historic relationship with China, based on mutual trust, understanding, and friendship, has been strengthened through the BRI. "This initiative is not just about infrastructure for Nepal; it should be viewed as an opportunity for Nepal to explore new avenues for economic growth," he said.

He also suggested that Nepal, leveraging its geographical position, has the potential to be developed into a 'transit hub.' To realize this, Ghimire stressed the need for enhancing bilateral collaboration on physical infrastructure, including roadways, railways, information technology, and trade relations.

Reflecting on the longstanding diplomatic ties between Nepal and China, which have flourished over the past seven decades, Ghimire affirmed that Nepal’s policies are guided by the five principles (Panchasheel) of peaceful coexistence. "We are always ready to take steps to deepen the cordial relations between our two nations," he added. He also reiterated Nepal’s commitment to the 'One China Policy' and described China as a reliable and significant development partner for Nepal.

Former Prime Minister and senior CPN (Unified Socialist) leader Jhalanath Khanal, who also spoke at the event, highlighted the BRI as a global development project that offers abundant opportunities for infrastructure development and expanding connectivity. "It is a boon for many countries around the world," he said, urging Nepal to ensure it capitalizes on the potential benefits.

China’s Ambassador to Nepal, Chen Song, shared about China's achievements in infrastructure development, information technology, industrialization, innovation, and research. He reiterated China’s strong support for Nepal’s developmental goals.

During the Dialogue, business communities and academics from Nepal and China are scheduled to exchange views on the implementation of the BRI in Nepal, its opportunities, and challenges.

Speaker Devraj Ghimire made a ruling in the House of Representatives (HoR) session today, urging the government to address concerns raised by the opposition parties in the Parliament including in zero and special hours.

He drew serious attention of the relevant minister towards that end as per the Rule 15(2) of the House of Representatives Regulations-2079 BS.

In the lower house meeting today, the opposition parties including the CPN (Maoist Center) demanded the government to inform them about the clarification sought from the Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) Managing Director. They called for the Speaker's ruling towards that end.

Once the meeting convened, the members from the opposition parties stood from their respective seats and the Speaker granted time to Maoist Center's Chief Whip Hitraj Pandey to put his views.

Airing his views, Pandey said they wanted to be clear about the reports the government has been continuously seeking clarifications from NEA Managing Director Ghising and he was also given zero during the work performance evaluation.

Speaker Devraj Ghimire has said the National Democracy Day will inspire to remain committed to democratic values and ideals.

In a message of best wishes on the occasion of the National Democracy Day today, Speaker Ghimire paid deep tributes to the brave martyrs who sacrificed their lives to realize the dream of democracy, people's supremacy and civil liberties.

"The democratic movement of 2007 BS liberated the Nepali people from the darkness of autocracy and brought them to the light of freedom," reads the message.

"With the sacrifice of the martyrs, the country had embarked on the journey of republic along with democracy and civil liberties, the people's movement of 2062/63 BS heralded the era of federal democratic republic by ending monarchy," the Speaker said in the mesaage.

"The country has achieved significant success in political movements and revolutions, but there is still a lot of work to be done to bring about positive changes in the lives of the people", Speaker Ghimire noted in the message. 

House of Representatives (HoR) Speaker Devraj Ghimire has expressed his hope that the fifth session (winter session) of the Federal Parliament that commenced today will be productive in terms of enacting laws and addressing the issues of public concerns.

 Welcoming the HoR members to the meeting, the Speaker said that the Parliament carries a significant value in democracy, and disputes, discussions, and dialogues are expected in the Parliament. "But our conclusions should be for finding an agreement. Political parties representing here with people's mandate should not confine themselves to a narrow space but should explore a wider course for the national interests."

The respectful exchanges of logic and opinions by ruling and opposition parties would help make the parliamentary function effective, he said, adding that mutual respect, cooperation, and unity will help find a historic success for formulating policies and laws by ending existing issues in the nation.

"I hope the session will inspire all of us to deliver in the interest of the nation and citizens by going on with good practices of the past," he said.

Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) President and suspended parliamentarian, Rabi Lamichhane, held a meeting with Speaker Devraj Ghimire, over the issue of his suspension.

During the meeting held at the office of the Speaker at Singha Durbar, today, President Lamichhane submitted a petition requesting Speaker Ghimire to lift his suspension from the post of a member of the Parliament.

Deputy Speaker Indira Rana Magar, acting RSP Chair Dol Prasad Aryal, Vice-Chairperson Dr Swarnim Wagle, Chief Whip Santosh Pariyar, among others were also present along with Lamichhane in the meeting.

The Federal Parliament Secretariat had suspended the member of House of Representatives, Lamichhane, from the post on December 23.

Speaker of the House of Representatives (HoR), Devraj Ghimire, has discussed with the major ruling party Nepali Congress and CPN-UML about the bill passed by the National Assembly and sent to the House of Representatives.

Today, Speaker Ghimire invited Congress chief whip Shyam Ghimire and UML chief whip Mahesh Kumar Bartaula to his office at Singh Durbar and asked for their views on the Constitutional Council Bill and the Order of Precedence Bill that is pending in the House of Representatives.

"The Speaker has asked for opinions on the constitutional council bill passed by the National Assembly and other bills stuck in the lower house, including the bill on the order of precedence, after discussing it in the party. Today's discussion has been concluded with the agreement to meet with the Speaker again on Monday," said Congress Chief Whip Shyam Ghimire.

UML chief whip Mahesh Bartaula said that all the bills under consideration in the Parliament will be moved forward in the winter session of the Parliament. The winter session of Parliament has been called for January 31.

Chief Whip Bartaula informed that Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli will address the Parliament on the first day of the winter session.

Speaker Ghimire has increased his activities as the date of the winter session of Parliament approaches.

Speaker Ghimire is having a discussion with the chief whip of the major opposition party CPN (Maoist Center) and Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) today itself. 

Speaker Devraj Ghimire has said that Nepal has been adhering to the 'one China' principle with strong commitment.

The Speaker said this while addressing a program organized by the Embassy of the People's Republic of China on Thursday evening, on the occasion of the 70th anniversary of establishment of diplomatic relations between Nepal and China and the Chinese New Year 2025.

On the occasion, he said that China has been a reliable and important development partner of Nepal for a long time.

"Nepal and China have age-old, close, friendly and cooperative relations. Our relationship is cordial, harmonious and multifaceted, built on a strong foundation of mutual trust. Geographical and cultural commonalities as well as people-to-people ties have further strengthened our bilateral relations," the Speaker said.

He said such programs would contribute a lot in further strengthening the existing economic, social and cultural ties between the two countries.

Stating that this year is the Year of Snake as per Chinese tradition, he expressed the belief that this New Year would bring more happiness, progress and prosperity to the Chinese friends.

On the occasion, Chinese Ambassador to Nepal Chen Song said that China has made excellent progress in the last year facing various challenging situations.

Ambassador Chen said that under the central leadership of the Communist Party of China, especially under the guidance of Chairman Xi Jinping, China has ensured its economic development in the midst of a complex international situation.

He said that during the visit of Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli to China, the Cooperation Framework Agreement was forwarded to jointly promote the Belt and Road Initiative to take ahead the China-Nepal Strategic Cooperative Partnership.

The Chinese Ambassador said that this has taken the strategic partnership of long-term friendship between Nepal and China towards development and prosperity to a new height.

"The development of a three-dimensional connectivity network between the two countries is gaining momentum, 14 traditional border trade points have been fully operational and 48 direct flights are operating in a week," he said and expressed pleasure to see friends of the two countries visiting each other for tourism, more Chinese entrepreneurs coming to Nepal to invest and do business in Nepal and export of more and more Nepali goods to China.

House of Representatives (HoR) Speaker Devraj Ghimire, who is on a five-day visit to Cambodia, had a courtesy meeting with Prime Minister Samdech Hun Manet and Chairman of Senate, the Upper House of Cambodian Parliament, Samdech Hun Sen.

The Speaker's Secretariat said that during the meeting with Prime Minister Manet at the Peace Palace in Cambodia, important issues were discussed to take the historical relationship between the two countries to a new height.

In the meeting, Speaker Ghimire emphasized that direct air services should be started from Buddha's birthplace Lumbini and Cambodia's Angkor to promote Hindu and Buddhist heritage.

The Speaker believes that this will further encourage spiritual tourism and cultural exchange. An air agreement was signed between Nepal and Cambodia in 2075 BS.

During the meeting, there was a discussion about promoting experience exchange programs between citizens of both countries. Speaker Ghimire also gave a formal invitation to the Prime Minister of Cambodia to visit Nepal.

Prime Minister Manet said that the inter-parliamentary assembly of the International Parliament for Tolerance and Peace (IPTP) is an excellent platform for the cooperation of small nations. He expressed his desire to arrange a suitable time to visit Nepal. The meeting is seen as an important opportunity to further strengthen the economic, cultural and diplomatic cooperation between the two countries.

Speaker Ghimire held a meeting with Sen, the Chairman of the Upper House Senate on Sunday evening.

During the meeting held at the Cambodia People's Party headquarters, both parties discussed the issue of further strengthening the relationship between the legislatures of the two countries.

Similarly, the Secretariat of the Speaker Ghimire said that the possibility of further strengthening the long-term relations between the two countries, parliamentary practice, regional cooperation and cooperation on matters of common interest were also discussed.

The Speaker, while sharing the experience of the unique success of the Nepali peace process, was of the view that both countries can have more understanding and partnership in areas of common interest.

On Saturday evening, he also met with the President of the National Assembly of Cambodia.

The Speaker, who reached Cambodia's capital Phnom Penh leading a five-member delegation, addressed the 11th plenary session of the International Parliament for Tolerance and Peace on Sunday will return home on Tuesday.