KATHMANDU: The government has kick started its preparations for the winter session of Parliament, commencing on February 5, by focusing on a total of 61 bills.
With 39 crucial bills required for the effective implementation of the constitution still pending, the government has intensified its efforts to augment the legislative agenda.
Deputy Secretary of the Ministry of Law, Prakash Mainali, revealed that the Law Ministry is actively engaged in reviewing proposals and bills from various ministries.
Currently, legal documents, drafts, and bills received from different ministries are under meticulous consideration at the Ministry of Law.
In coordination with other ministries, the Ministry of Law, Justice, and Parliamentary Affairs has informed Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal “Prachanda” about the session’s agenda by presenting a roster of various bills.
Officials from the ministry conveyed that they plan to prepare eight to twelve bills for the initial phase of the winter parliamentary session.
The Transitional Justice Bill is the top priority for the Prime Minister’s Office, with a strong emphasis on concluding it promptly.
Simultaneously, the government is working on finalizing bills such as the school education bill, the federal civil service bill, and legislation related to the forest and federal police acts for submission to Parliament.
The Parliament is also faced with pending bills, including the Medicines and Healthcare Products (Regulation and Control) Bill, Customs Bill, Banking Offenses and Punishment Bill, Legislation Bill, Immigration Bill, and Political Party (Second) Amendment Bill.
Prime Minister Dahal, keen to address previous criticisms of insufficient business during the budget session, intends to provide a more comprehensive legislative agenda for this parliamentary session.
The previous budget session, lasting 180 days, faced criticism for passing only one bill.
The Bill amending some Nepal Acts related to the Civil Code, addressing legal proceedings and justice for victims, was approved in July 2023, amidst street protests and opposition from various political parties.
Additionally, three other bills related to the budget—Finance Bill 2080, Appropriation Bill 2080, and National Debt Collection Bill 2080—were passed during the Parliament’s budget session.
A bill aimed at amending laws pertaining to the prevention of money laundering and the promotion of a favorable business environment has been mired in lengthy discussions within the Federal Parliament.
Despite the Law, Justice, and Human Rights Committee submitting its report to Parliament, the bill has encountered obstacles, impeding its progress.
Moreover, the House of Representatives is currently entangled with seven bills passed by the National Assembly.
Additionally, the parliamentary session has struggled to reach a consensus on finalizing the “Bill to Amend the Commission for Investigation, Truth, and Reconciliation Act, 2071,” which is linked to transitional justice.
Political parties remain at an impasse regarding the handling of issues such as brutal killings, the dual-conflict dilemma, individuals involved in armed conflicts, and those affected by severe human rights violations.
The lack of agreement on how to address the concerns of victims of human rights violations, the appropriate course of action, and disagreement on reducing penalties has resulted in the bill’s inability to progress.
The current status of bills under consideration indicates that 24 bills are pending in both Houses of the Federal Parliament.
Among them, the Immigration Bill from the Ministry of Home Affairs, the Shahid Dashrath Chand Health Sciences University Bill from the Ministry of Education, and the bill designed to regulate legislation from the Ministry of Law, Justice, and Parliamentary Affairs are awaiting resolution in the National Assembly.
Sita Pun Srisa, the information officer of the Ministry of Law, highlighted that the bill under consideration has undergone several discussions within the parliamentary committee and is now in its final stages.
Multiple bills await resolution in Parliament
The House of Representatives is currently grappling with a backlog of 21 pending bills, each awaiting decisive action. Notably, the Prevention of Corruption (First Amendment) Bill, originating from the Office of the Prime Minister and the Council of Ministers, has successfully passed through the National Assembly and is currently in theoretical deliberation in the House of Representatives.
The urgency to address these pending bills underscores the need for efficient parliamentary proceedings and collaborative decision-making to advance key legislative agendas.
Among the bills awaiting resolution are key pieces of legislation such as the Food Hygiene and Quality Bill, the Commission for Investigation of Abuse of Authority (Third Amendment) Bill, the Security Printing Bill, the Public Service Broadcasting Bill, the Archives Protection (First Amendment) Bill, the Monitoring and Evaluation Bill, the Bill to regulate Nepal University, the Electricity Bill, and the School Education Bill.
These bills have also undergone scrutiny in the National Assembly and are currently under debate in the House of Representatives.
Additionally, bills addressing crucial aspects of governance and societal concerns, including the Bill to regulate electronic commerce and the National Dignity Bill (Non-Governmental Bill), have successfully navigated the National Assembly and are now awaiting discussion in the House of Representatives.
Furthermore, bills with significant implications, such as the Bill to amend certain Acts related to the Prevention of Money Laundering and Promotion of Business Environment, the Bill to Amend Constitutional Council (Works, Duties, Powers and Procedures) Act, 2066, and the Investigation, Truth and Reconciliation Commission Act on Disappeared Persons (amendment in 2071), have been referred to committees for in-depth discussion.
The Parliament is also faced with pending bills, including the Medicines and Healthcare Products (Regulation and Control) Bill, Customs Bill, Banking Offenses and Punishment Bill, Legislation Bill, Immigration Bill, and Political Party (Second) Amendment Bill.
By streamlining this process, the ministry aims to enhance the quality of legislation and contribute to effective governance in the upcoming parliamentary session, she said.
The urgency to address these pending bills underscores the need for efficient parliamentary proceedings and collaborative decision-making to advance key legislative agendas.
The Law Ministry has outlined its agenda to conclude discussions on the 13 bills that were previously deliberated in the last session, aiming to bring them to a resolution in the upcoming session.
The focus is particularly on expediting the legislative process for a bill that has successfully traversed the National Assembly and is currently under consideration in the House of Representatives.
According to Srisa, the Law Ministry is actively engaged in scrutinizing and investigating the content of 19 bill preambles that have been generated by the ministry.
Once the Law Ministry completes its study and provides its insights on these bill preambles, the relevant ministry will proceed to formulate a draft.
It is emphasized that the bill will only advance to the Council of Ministers and subsequently to Parliament after thorough discussions on the draft have taken place.
This approach underscores the commitment to ensuring that proposed bills undergo rigorous examination, garnering expert opinions before reaching the legislative floor.
By streamlining this process, the ministry aims to enhance the quality of legislation and contribute to effective governance in the upcoming parliamentary session, she said.
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