Miscellaneous
Hearing committee divided over JC nominee Sitaula’s ejection
Members of the Parliamentary Hearing Special Committee are divided over the decision of the incumbent government to withdraw the nomination of Senior Advocate Ram Prasad Sitaula as a Judicial Council member.Members of the Parliamentary Hearing Special Committee are divided over the decision of the incumbent government to withdraw the nomination of Senior Advocate Ram Prasad Sitaula as a Judicial Council member.
In a meeting of the committee on Sunday, lawmakers from the ruling parties argued that the PHSC cannot discuss the issue while those from the opposition claimed that the decision was wrong.
Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli had withdrawn the nomination of Sitaula, who was recommended as a council member by then-prime minister Sushil Koirala, arguing that the PHSC was dysfunctional in the absence of new parliamentary regulations.
“The PHSC is a permanent mechanism. The only thing is its members were not appointed then,” argued NC lawmaker Chin Kaji Shrestha, a member of the committee. “Therefore, the PM’s decision was wrong.”
Members from the opposition parties charged the Oli-led government with maintaining double standard as the same government that withdrew Sitaula’s nomination had recommended 21 ambassadors without the PHSC being formed.
“It’s already late. There’s no point discussing the issue when we’ve already entered the next phase,” said Anita Pariyar, a lawmaker from the CPN (Maoist Centre).