Budget passed by majority: 147 votes in favor, 108 votes against

KATHMANDU: The House of Representatives (HoR) on Wednesday approved the Budget for the upcoming fiscal year 2080/81 BS (2023/24).

Initially, Finance Minister Dr. Prakash Sharan Mahat presented the budget proposal for endorsement.

As Speaker Devraj Ghimire sought the opinions of lawmakers in a Yes or No format, the majority expressed their support for the budget.

However, in response to demands from CPN-UML lawmakers, a split vote was conducted to ensure a clear majority in favor of the budget.

This marks the first time that the Parliament has voted to pass the budget. The divided vote resulted in 147 members supporting the budget while 108 members voted against it. A total of 255 lawmakers participated in the budget discussion held on Wednesday.

During the divided vote, the Appropriation Bill was successfully passed, rejecting the proposed amendments put forth by opposition MPs, including the CPN-UML.

The budget consists of four bills, namely the Appropriation Bill, Finance Bill, National Debt Collection Bill, and Loan and Guarantee Bill.