Ruling coalition partners Nagarik Unmukti Party and Janamat Party briefly disrupted Tuesday’s meeting of the House of Representatives, demanding an impartial investigation into the controversial arrest incident involving Nagarik Unmukti’s patron Resham Chaudhary.

The two parties stalled the House proceedings by seeking a ruling from Speaker Devraj Ghimire regarding Chaudhary’s arrest on April 30. However, the Speaker declined to issue a ruling, stating that he had already directed the government to respond during the zero and special hours.

Dissatisfied with the Speaker’s response, lawmakers from both parties stood from their seats in protest and prevented the House from continuing with scheduled discussions on the government’s policies and programmes.

While the parties allowed the zero and special hours to proceed, they disrupted deliberations on the government’s annual plans and policies.

Speaker Ghimire reiterated that the government had listened to the lawmakers’ concerns and would respond in due time, but clarified that it was not his role to determine when the government would issue its response.

Lawmakers from the two protesting parties reminded the Speaker that they had already warned the government on Monday to respond by Tuesday or face obstruction.

Later, Speaker Ghimire informed the House that Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak had committed to addressing the issue on Thursday. Following this assurance, the lawmakers returned to their seats, allowing the discussion on the government’s policies and programmes to resume.

Earlier in the session, Nagarik Unmukti Party chair Ranjita Shrestha urged the government to initiate an impartial investigation into Chaudhary’s arrest.

Chaudhary was apprehended by plainclothes police from the premises of the Nepal Academy in Kamaladi while attending an event announcing the unification of Nagarik Unmukti and Janamat Party.

The sudden arrest triggered widespread confusion and public outrage. The Supreme Court later acknowledged that the arrest order was unauthorised and issued a second letter instructing authorities not to enforce the earlier one. Mahiman Singh Bista, the section officer who had issued the order, was arrested the same day for investigation.

Chaudhary was released later that evening.

Addressing Parliament on Tuesday, Shrestha said, “I am part of the ruling alliance, but democracy is about standing for truth. This is not just the arrest of one individual—it’s a blow to federalism, inclusion and trust in democracy.”

She demanded that such incidents not be repeated against elected representatives and urged Parliament to remain vigilant to prevent such overreach in the future.