A day before Parliament’s session ended, main opposition Nepali Congress leader Bhishma Raj Angdembe was still looking for Prime Minister Balendra Shah in the House of Representatives.

Speaking during Thursday’s meeting, Angdembe cited parliamentary conventions while questioning the prime minister’s frequent absence from the chamber.

 “It is unfortunate for any parliament when the leader of the main opposition has to speak without even knowing whether the prime minister is present in the House,” Angdembe said. “When Parliament is in session, shouldn’t the House know where the prime minister is and what he is occupied with?”

As Angdembe spoke, most of the seats reserved for the prime minister and ministers were empty. Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) chair Rabi Lamichhane, however, listened attentively to the opposition leader.

The second session of the House of Representatives and the 21st session of the National Assembly ended at midnight on Friday.

Shah’s absence has drawn criticism not only from the opposition but also from some lawmakers on the government benches, who have sought answers from him on issues ranging from the eviction of squatters in Kathmandu Valley and a statement he made about the Nepal-India border to communal tensions in the Tarai-Madhesh, floods and landslides, foreign trips and other government decisions.

Despite constitutional provisions requiring the government to remain accountable to Parliament, Shah did not appear to answer those questions. Nor did he comply with a provision in the House of Representatives regulations requiring the prime minister to answer lawmakers’ questions during the first week of every month.

Shah has spoken from the House rostrum only twice, on May 31 and September 2. On May 31, he answered questions raised by lawmakers on a party basis. On September 2, he briefed the House on the impact of the Bhotekoshi floods and the government’s response.

His attendance in the House has also been limited. During the second session of the House, the budget session, Shah attended only on May 11, May 29, May 31, July 14, September 2 and September 9. In the National Assembly, he appeared just once. 

The 62-day session of the House held 68 meetings. The federal Parliament also held two joint meetings of the House of Representatives and National Assembly, lasting a combined two hours and 55 minutes.

Shah’s absence became a point of contention from the very beginning of the budget session.

On May 11, the opening day of the session, Shah left the House while President Ramchandra Paudel was presenting the government’s policies and programmes for the coming fiscal year. Opposition parties criticised the move, saying it undermined the dignity of both the head of state and Parliament.

The prime minister was again sought when lawmakers debated and approved the government’s policies and programmes. Opposition parties protested that Shah had failed to appear to respond to questions raised during the debate.

Instead, Finance Minister Swarnim Wagle was sent to the House to respond on the government’s behalf. Congress lawmakers protested while Wagle was speaking, and other opposition parties boycotted the proceedings.

Shah has also largely delegated his parliamentary responsibilities to Minister for Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Sobita Gautam, including introducing bills on behalf of the government, responding to questions raised during their consideration and advancing other government business.

The passage of the House of Representatives regulations was another major source of friction.

The House approved the report of the rules drafting committee led by RSP deputy parliamentary party leader Ganesh Parajuli, with the ruling party using its majority to push it through. On May 31, Speaker DP Aryal put the regulations to a vote and declared them approved as opposition lawmakers surrounded the well and jostled amid protests.

Opposition parties objected to provisions that they said conflicted with the Constitution and existing laws. Aryal deployed a large number of parliamentary security personnel and proceeded with the vote.

The Supreme Court’s Constitutional Bench later issued an interim order blocking the implementation of two disputed provisions, relating to the process for amending the Constitution and parliamentary privileges.

Aryal subsequently formed a committee to investigate the clashes during the passage of the regulations. The committee was coordinated by House of Representatives Secretary Prakash Adhikari, with Babita Mishra, chief of the Internal Resources and Plan Management Division, and Gopal Sigdel, chief of the Technology Management Division, as members.

The session was also marked by repeated points of order, with lawmakers from both the ruling and opposition benches seeking to have one another’s remarks removed from the parliamentary record. The practice became so frequent that Speaker Aryal repeatedly reminded lawmakers to raise points of order only when they had a clear basis and justification.

On September 24, Aryal said, “Points of order should be raised only when they have a clear basis and justification. Raising a point of order merely to get an opportunity to speak is not appropriate for the dignity and decorum of Parliament.”

Several lawmakers also had remarks removed from the parliamentary record. Statements made by CPN-UML lawmaker Ram Bahadur Thapa on May 12 and August 19 were expunged after objections were raised over his remarks concerning the ruling party, the army and various countries. Statements by Parajuli, RSP lawmaker and former deputy speaker Indira Rana, and lawmaker Khagendra Sunar, among others, were also removed from the record.

Opposition lawmakers also continued to demand the removal from the record of remarks PM Shah had made about the Nepal-India border.

The use of points of order also became contentious during the session. UML chief whip Ain Bahadur Mahar, for instance, demanded that a remark by Speaker Aryal be removed from the parliamentary record after Aryal said from the rostrum that questions for the prime minister did not have to be collected three days in advance.

Mahar argued that the speaker’s interpretation contradicted the House regulations.

“I want to raise a point of order and demand that the speaker’s statement itself be removed from the parliamentary record,” he said.

14 lawmakers missed 10 or more consecutive meetings

Fourteen lawmakers were absent from 10 or more consecutive meetings during the second session of the House, according to figures presented by Speaker Aryal at the final meeting.

Former prime minister and Nepali Communist Party parliamentary party leader Pushpa Kamal Dahal topped the list, missing 24 consecutive meetings while he was hospitalised.

Congress lawmaker Yogesh Gauchan Thakali missed 20 consecutive meetings while on an international trip. RSP lawmaker Vidushi Rana was absent for 15 consecutive meetings, also because of an overseas trip.

Congress lawmaker Bharat Bahadur Khadka and UML lawmaker Mohammad Istiyak Rai each missed 14 consecutive meetings. Khadka cited a district visit, while Rai said he was absent for personal reasons.

Harina Devi Kami missed 13 consecutive meetings while observing the mourning period following her father-in-law’s death.

Bhumika Limbu Subba and Janak Raj Giri each missed 12 consecutive meetings. Limbu cited her daughter’s medical treatment, while Giri said he had domestic responsibilities.

Eliza Gurung, Shristi Bhattarai and Khadak Shahi each missed 11 consecutive meetings. Gurung cited medical treatment, Bhattarai an examination and Shahi a district visit.

Gyanendra Singh Mehta, Indira Rana and Prakash Singh Karki each missed 10 consecutive meetings. Mehta and Karki cited district visits, while Rana said she was attending an international programme.