The House of Representatives is back to business after a month with the CPN-UML agreeing to withdraw its obstruction following a deal to constitute a mechanism to investigate repeated incidents of gold smuggling.

Seven major parties in Parliament on Wednesday sealed a two-point agreement, clearing the way for the resumption of the House being obstructed since July 26.

Along with lawmakers airing their views on a wide range of issues, the House also took up legislative business for the first time in a month.

While the government tabled its decision to extend the terms of two transitional justice commissions, the House also agreed to send a bill on Nepal University to a parliamentary committee.

Informing the House about the agreement, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defence Purna Bahadur Khadka said the deal has created a positive environment for making Parliament productive.

“It is natural for the parties to have differences in democracy but we have demonstrated that they can be resolved through dialogue,” he said in the House.

“The agreement has created an environment for cooperation.”

Hours before the House meeting, the major parties had reached a two-point deal. As per the first point of agreement, the Central Investigation Bureau (CIB) of Nepal Police, which has been investigating the recent haul of smuggled gold, will continue its probe into all those involved in the crime.

An independent and neutral commission will be formed on September 22 to launch a thorough inquiry into repeated cases of gold smuggling, states the second point of the deal.

The commission will submit a report of recommendations relating to the smuggling of the precious metal, improvements and amendments needed to be made to the existing law, and also a report on the investigative process of such cases.

“The government will form a commission on September 22, 2023, in accordance with the Commission of Inquiry Act, 2026 BS (1969) and launch an investigation into the cases immediately,” reads the deal.

During a meeting called by Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal, leaders of major political parties agreed to form the committee as demanded by the main opposition.

As per the Act, the government, if deemed necessary to form a commission for the purpose of making an inquiry into any matter of public importance, can

constitute a commission of inquiry, consisting of one or more than one member with a judge among them. The government will designate its leader.

As per the agreement, the commission will thoroughly investigate various incidents of gold smuggling, including the one in December last year when nine kilograms of gold was brought concealed in electronic cigarettes.

The Pushpa Kamal Dahal administration has been blamed for not allowing the incident to be investigated properly because senior Maoist leader and former Speaker of the House of Representatives Krishna Bahadur Mahara and his son Rahul are allegedly involved in it.

On December 25 last year, the airport customs office seized electronic cigarettes. Parts of those cigarettes were stolen from the customs warehouse.

The Mahara father and son were found to have established phone calls for over 200 times with the smugglers.

Padam Giri, the UML chief whip, said the commission will attach priority to the investigation of gold smuggling done through electronic cigarette imports.

“We agreed to form the commission on September 23 to allow the CIB ample time for completing its investigation before the new probe starts,” Giri told the Post.

Apart from investigating gold smuggling cases, the commission will also recommend legal and institutional reforms to ensure that such incidents do not recur, according to Giri.

Giri said his party has ended its month-long protest with the deal.

The next House meeting has been scheduled for Thursday.