KATHMANDU: A meeting of the House of Representatives (HoR) is scheduled for today (Sunday) at 1 p.m., following a postponement of Friday’s session amid a deepening political standoff.
The Friday meeting was called off through an official notice, as opposition parties continued their obstruction of parliamentary proceedings.
The protests stem from allegations that Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak is linked to the visit visa scandal, in which unauthorized individuals allegedly facilitated visas for foreign nationals under questionable circumstances.
The opposition has made the formation of a high-level investigation committee its key demand and has declared that it will not allow the House to function until the government agrees to this condition.
On Friday, Maoist Center Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’ held talks with leaders of major opposition parties in an attempt to resolve the impasse. After the meeting, Dahal said the current deadlock could be resolved if the government commits to forming a credible investigative body.
“The main issue is the investigation. If the government commits to a reliable inquiry, the matter can be settled,” Dahal said. He added that opposition leaders agreed it was appropriate to engage Nepali Congress President Sher Bahadur Deuba in the discussion and mutually decided to suspend Friday’s meeting.
Tensions in parliament have escalated in recent weeks over the visa scandal, with opposition lawmakers demanding accountability from senior government officials. Today’s meeting will be a test of whether political negotiations have made any headway.
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