KATHMANDU: Discussions on the government’s policy and programme for the fiscal year 2026/27 are currently underway in the House of Representatives, with lawmakers presenting amendment proposals to the document read out by President Ram Chandra Paudel.
Although Prime Minister Balen Shah remains absent from the House, opposition parties have allowed proceedings related to amendment proposals to continue.
However, opposition leaders have maintained a unified stance that the Prime Minister himself must respond to questions raised during the discussions.
Lawmakers from the main opposition Nepali Congress, Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist–Leninist), Rastriya Prajatantra Party, Shram Sanskriti Party, and Nepali Communist Party have participated in the debate process while reiterating that they will demand answers directly from the Prime Minister.
“We have allowed lawmakers to present amendment proposals only. We will seek answers from the Prime Minister himself,” an opposition leader said. “The Prime Minister should no longer avoid the people. We will demand his response one way or another.”
It remains unclear whether Prime Minister Shah will appear in Parliament to answer the questions.
Since the elections held on March 5, the Prime Minister has not spoken a single word in Parliament.
Although he has already addressed events organised by the Nepal Army, opposition lawmakers claim he has still not shown readiness to appear in the House.
Instead, the government has assigned Finance Minister Swarnim Wagle to respond on behalf of the Prime Minister while Shah remains at Singha Durbar.
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