The first meeting of the House of Representatives following the elections began on Thursday, with senior-most member Arjun Narsingh KC chairing the session.

KC informed the House about a letter from the President’s Office stating the appointment of Balendra Shah as prime minister under Article 76(1) of the constitution. He also apprised lawmakers of the formation of a 15-member Council of Ministers and the allocation of portfolios.

The House unanimously endorsed a proposal to conduct its business under the House of Representatives Regulations, 2022, until a new set of rules is adopted, in line with Article 104 of the Constitution.

KC also nominated Aaren Rai, Ganga Chhantyal, Tariq Ali Bhat, Basana Thapa, Bishwaraj Pokharel, Yagya Bahadur Bogati and Balawati Sharma to chair meetings in the absence of the Speaker.

Proceedings were briefly obstructed as CPN-UML lawmakers stood in protest. Speaking on behalf of the party, Guru Baral demanded the release of former prime minister KP Sharma Oli and Nepali Congress leader Ramesh Lekhak, and urged the government not to suppress peaceful demonstrations.

Top leaders addressed the House on the opening day of the session. Rastriya Swatantra Party chair Rabi Lamichhane said the government was issuing a public apology to Dalit communities for historical injustices, describing caste-based discrimination as an organised crime rather than a social error. He said justice would determine the value of the apology.

Lamichhane also urged politically appointed officials to resign voluntarily, stating that the government would introduce a transparent and competitive appointment process based on new legal and policy standards.

Nepali Congress lawmaker Bhishmaraj Angdembe called for a thorough investigation into incidents during last year’s Gen Z protests, questioning the credibility of the report submitted by the Gauri Bahadur Karki-led commission. He said the commission had recommended action over the events of September 8 but failed to complete work on the incidents of September 9, raising concerns about possible bias.

He urged the prime minister to make the report public, questioning whether the government would act independently or rely on official publications. Angdembe said the Congress remained firm that the guilty must not escape and the innocent must not be implicated.

UML parliamentary party leader Ram Bahadur Thapa alleged that various ‘visible and invisible’ forces, including the Nepali Army, played a decisive role in the RSP victory.

Speaking at the meeting, he claimed that institutions and individuals such as the army, the bureaucracy, the Sushila Karki-led government, the Gauri Bahadur Karki-led Commission, and Barbara Foundation had a decisive influence on the election outcomes.

“Numerous facts make it clear who played a decisive role in this remarkable victory,” he said. “Invisible forces portrayed those who stand for nationalism, democracy, republicanism, federalism, peace and prosperity as ruthless villains and murderers. At the same time, those who burned the country and weakened its national identity were turned into heroes.”

Describing the RSP’s victory as extraordinary, Thapa said it raises several unusual questions.

“For what purpose were Singha Durbar, Sheetal Niwas, the Supreme Court, Baluwatar, police stations, and party offices systematically set on fire? Who incited innocent students to break into restricted areas?” he said.

Thapa also claimed that former prime minister and UML chair Oli and former home minister and Congress leader Lekhak were arrested unlawfully.

Leaders from the Nepali Communist Party, the Rastriya Prajatantra Party and the Shram Sanskriti Party also addressed the House.

In the 275-member House of Representatives, the Rastriya Swatantra Party holds 182 seats. NC has 38 seats, CPN-UML 25, Nepali Communist Party 17, the Shram Sanskriti Party seven, and the RPP five seats. Mahabir Pun is the lone independent lawmaker in the House.