KATHMANDU: The resignation letter by Speaker Krishna Bahadur Mahara has courted controversy over his willingness to return to power.
“I have decided to resign on moral grounds until the investigation process is concluded to pave the way towards free and fair investigation on the issue,” reads the letter addressed to Deputy Speaker of the federal Parliament by Speaker Mahara after an allegation of sexual assault.
The sentence – I have decided to resign on moral grounds until the investigation process is concluded— has shown a willingness of Speaker Mahara to return to the post.
Press Advisor to Speaker Mahara, Dilli Malla has claimed that Mahara will return to the post if concrete evidence to prove him guilty is not found during the investigation process.
“Speaker resigned from the post till the investigation process is concluded to make sure that the investigation is carried in a free and fair manner,” he claimed in a Facebook post.
Constitutional expert Dr. Bhimarjun Acharya, however, said that resignation doesn’t come with a condition and the Speaker can’t return to the post.
“The language in the resignation letter is inappropriate. Resignation is never temporary and for an interim period. A person is relinquished from the post after resigning,” he told Khabarhub.
According to him, Mahara can’t return to the post as he has already resigned. But, he has not lost his post as a lawmaker yet.
“Mahara will be expelled from the post until a court delivers a final verdict in case a rape case is filed against him,” Acharya said, “He will be sacked if the court pronounces him guilty.”