KATHMANDU, May 9: Members of Parliament (MPs) have registered an amendment proposal in parliament demanding amendment of a proposed provision on not suspending MPs facing criminal charges.
Dismayed with the proposed provision of continuing the lawmaker status for MPs even if they are charged in court with criminal conduct, lawmakers from CPN-UML, Rastriya Janamorcha and Nepal Workers Peasants Party have registered their amendment proposal.
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UML lawmakers Bhairab Bahadur Singh, Nar Bahadur Dhami and Damodar Bhandari have urged parliament to continue with the existing provision of suspending MPs immediately if they are accused of crime. In their amendment proposal registered at the parliament secretariat, the UML lawmakers stressed giving continuity to the provision of suspending MPs as soon as law enforcement charges them in court.
Prem Suwal of NWPP and Durga Poudel of Rastriya Janamorcha have also demanded such an amendment.
Under the current provision, lawmakers facing criminal charges get suspended from their position. Several lawmakers accused of forgery, corruption and criminal activity were suspended in the past. This time, however, parliament has introduced a provision for suspending lawmakers only if the courts convict them, and letting them retain their status.
Members from Nepali Congress and CPN (Maoist Center) have also registered amendment proposals but they are silent about the proposed provision of not suspending crime-accused MPs.
NC’s Minendra Rijal has registered an amendment demanding that the parliamentary committees be reduced from the proposed 10 in number by merging some of the committees.
