POKHARA: Gandaki Province Chief Minister Surendra Raj Pandey is scheduled to answer questions from provincial lawmakers directly at the Province Assembly.
The Province Assembly meeting, which has remained adjourned since July 31, has been called for August 26 at 1 pm.
According to Assembly Secretary Govinda Poudel, the meeting will include a direct question-and-answer session with the Chief Minister, along with other parliamentary business in accordance with the rules.
The Gandaki Province Assembly had previously held a direct Q&A session with the Chief Minister on August 20, 2023. No such session was held during the tenure of the chief ministers who served before Pandey. This will be the second direct Q&A session since the implementation of federalism.
During the session, Chief Minister Pandey is scheduled to respond to questions from lawmakers regarding the provincial government’s work under his leadership and issues concerning the people.
Under the Province Assembly Rules of Procedure, lawmakers are required to submit in advance the questions they wish to ask the Chief Minister.
The direct Q&A allows lawmakers to raise questions concerning public issues, government policies and its performance in the Assembly. The mechanism is intended to strengthen coordination between the executive and legislature while making the government more accountable.
The Gandaki Province Assembly Rules, 2080, contain provisions for direct question-and-answer sessions to promote accountability and transparency. Rule 56 under Chapter 9 provides lawmakers with the right to ask questions.
According to the rules, when the Province Assembly is in session, a direct question-and-answer session with the Chief Minister and ministers should be included in the agenda once a month. However, such sessions have not been held regularly in provincial assemblies.
Lawmakers are required to submit written questions concerning the province’s policies, plans, good governance and development to the Province Assembly Secretariat within the stipulated time.
After the Chief Minister responds, the lawmaker who asked the question may seek further clarification through supplementary questions, as provided by the rules.
Comment