Nepali Congress lawmaker Ishwari Devi Neupane, who had earlier contested the post of Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives on the party’s recommendation but was defeated, has been unanimously elected chair of the State Affairs and Good Governance Committee of the House of Representatives.

The nomination schedule, from 1 pm to 4 pm on Tuesday, saw no other candidate come forward, resulting in her unopposed election. The formal announcement of her appointment is yet to be made.

Neupane, a proportional representation (PR) lawmaker, filed her nomination after resigning from the Parliamentary Hearing Committee, in accordance with the party’s decision. She was proposed by immediate past committee chair Ramhari Khatiwada and seconded by CPN-UML lawmaker Krishna Gopal Shrestha.

Her elevation came after a parliamentary special committee investigating the “cooling-off period” provision in the Federal Civil Service Bill, 2024, held Khatiwada and senior bureaucrats morally accountable. Khatiwada resigned on August 13.

Following intra-party discussions and failed consensus over alternative candidates including Dilendra Prasad Badu and outgoing chair Khatiwada, the party decided to nominate Neupane.

“As I have already chaired the Parliamentary Hearing Committee, I had no ambition to lead the State Affairs Committee. But once the party makes its decision, rejecting it is no option,” Neupane said. “I have always carried out the responsibilities entrusted to me by the party with ease.”

Following the 2022 parliamentary elections, the party had fielded her for the post of Deputy Speaker. However, Neupane lost to Rastriya Swatantra Party lawmaker Indira Rana Magar, who was backed by then ruling partners UML and CPN (Maoist Centre), along with her own party.

In her resignation to Speaker Dev Raj Ghimire, Neupane stated that she was unable to continue in the post of Parliamentary Hearing Committee chairperson.

“I would like to inform you, in accordance with Rule 25 of the Joint Meeting and Joint Committee (Operation) Rules, 2023 of the federal parliament, that I am unable to remain on the chair of the Parliamentary Hearing Committee due to special circumstances,” Neupane wrote to the Speaker.

Earlier, in connection with the Federal Civil Service Bill, the committee led by Congress Joint General Secretary Jeevan Pariyar had held Khatiwada morally responsible over the issue of the “cooling-off period”.

A parliamentary special committee formed to probe the tampering of the “cooling-off period” provision in the Federal Civil Service Bill, 2024 had concluded that the manipulation resulted from systemic negligence, lack of due legislative diligence, and institutional failure.

It pointed to moral and procedural lapses by key officials, including the committee chair, its secretary, and senior bureaucrats. The probe panel had submitted its report to the Speaker on April 6 after 29 days of investigation.

The committee, in its report, also indicted the entire parliamentary committee for collective failure to uphold legislative integrity. The report identified Khatiwada and Secretary Suraj Kumar Dura, as responsible parties, along with some top bureaucrats.

Khatiwada resigned from his position, but senior government officials have, to this day, failed to take any moral responsibility.

At the Congress office-bearers’ meeting held at party president Sher Bahadur Deuba’s residence in Budhanilkantha on Tuesday, consensus was built on nominating Neupane for the job.

Badu, who was tipped to be a candidate for the position, clarified that he was never in the race for the chair.

Some Congress leaders claimed that members of the Shekhar Koirala faction, including General Secretary Gagan Thapa, were also in favour of appointing Badu the State Affairs Committee chair.

Meanwhile, Deuba and Vice-president Purna Bahadur Khadka were said to be in favour of reappointing Khatiwada. As the two sides failed to reach consensus, the party eventually decided to pick Neupane for the role.

“I was aware of the discussions in the party on proposing either Khatiwada or me for the State Affairs Committee chair,” Badu said.

A party leader said, as the two sides could not agree on their proposals, the office bearers agreed to field Neupane for the job.

After Khatiwada’s resignation, Congress General Secretary Bishwa Prakash Sharma’s name was also considered for the post. However, Sharma reportedly denied the offer.