The State Affairs Committee (SAC) of Parliament on Monday passed two election bills—Bill on Election of House of Representatives and Bill on Election of Provincial Assembly—after Nepali Congress lawmakers withdrew their amendment proposal that sought allowing corruption convicts to run for the elections.

With SAC passing the bills, they will be presented before the Parliament for endorsement.

Nepali Congress lawmaker Ananda Prasad Dhungana withdrew the amendment proposal during the SAC meeting this morning. "We withdrew our amendment proposal as we thought that our proposal could delay the passage of the Act," Dhungana told the Post this morning.

Nineteen NC lawmakers had individually and jointly filed amendments on the bill related to election of House of Representatives. They had demanded that the corrupt, who have served prison term in line with court's order, should be allowed to register their candidacy for the elections.

Section 13 (e) of the bill disqualifies corrupt, rapist, human traffickers and those convicted of serious crimes including drug abuse, money laundering, passport misuse, abduction or any other crimes demeaning moral characteristics of a person from contesting in the elections.

The NC lawmakers including NC Parliamentary Party whip Ishwori Neupane, leaders Radheshyam Adhikari, Ananda Prasad Dhungana and Taraman Gurung, among others had field amendments seeking the convicts who have served prison term for crimes mentioned in the section 13 (e) should be allowed to run for the elections after three or six years of completion of such punishment.

It is to be known that leader Dhungana-led committee under the SAC had passed a law from the Parliament that disbars corrupt and convicted guilty of criminal offences from becoming a member of political party.