Govt issue new ordinance

Kathmandu: The government has issued the ordinance so that the Constitutional Council can hold in the presence of three people including the Prime Minister. A meeting of the council has been held on Tuesday evening along with the ordinance.

The Constitutional Council (Functions, Duties, Rights and Procedures) Act, 2066 BS provided that the chairperson and at least four members should attend the meeting of the council. However, on the recommendation of the government, a new ordinance has been issued by the President with the provision that the quorum for the meeting of the council is considered to have reached the quorum if the present majority members including the chairperson are present.

The Council had a provision to have chaired by the Prime Minister, consisted of the Speaker, the Speaker of the National Assembly, the Leader of the Main Opposition, the Chief Justice and the Deputy Speaker.

Currently, the post of Deputy Speaker is vacant. Now, if three members including the chairperson are present in the council, it will be considered that the quorum has been reached for the meeting.

However, as per the previous arrangement, the quorum was considered to have been reached only if the chairperson and at least four members were present. According to this provision, the Speaker, the Chairperson of the National Assembly and the Leader of the Main Opposition must all be present for the current council meeting.