KATHMANDU: Nepali Communist Party (NCP) Chief Whip Yubaraj Dulal has warned that Prime Minister Balendra Shah (Balen) should not be considered above the Constitution, insisting that the prime minister must remain fully accountable to Parliament and appear before the House to respond to lawmakers.
Speaking at Tuesday’s House of Representatives meeting, Dulal said the prime minister emerged from Parliament itself and therefore must show respect toward the legislature.
“The belief that the prime minister is above the Constitution cannot be accepted. If that is the case, the government should formally inform the House,” he said. “The prime minister was born out of this Parliament. Therefore, he should at least stand at the rostrum for one minute and address the House.”
Dulal stressed that the prime minister is not only the leader of the ruling side but also of the opposition, arguing that regular participation in parliamentary question-and-answer sessions should be mandatory.
He added that no exemption should be granted from the prime minister’s constitutional responsibilities under the House regulations.
The NCP chief whip also objected to what he described as the ruling side’s tendency to pass bills solely on the basis of majority strength. According to him, relying only on numbers weakens the purpose of parliamentary debate and discussion.
“There are examples of bills being passed despite obstruction from the opposition. If everything is decided only through majority votes, then why should we even sit in this Parliament?” he questioned.
Dulal warned that such practices could weaken parliamentary procedures and democratic norms.
He further emphasized that opposition benches represent nearly half of the population and their voices should be given equal importance.
“In a parliamentary system, a majority does not represent the entire public mandate. The ruling side must realize that the opposition benches also represent half of the population,” he said.
Dulal also challenged the government to fully comply with constitutional provisions and parliamentary rules, stating that ensuring the prime minister’s presence in Parliament should be treated as a normal democratic process.
Comment