The Koshi Provincial Assembly has been stalled for nearly two months due to delays in expanding the provincial Cabinet.

The assembly meeting, which was adjourned on June 22 after passing the fiscal budget, has yet to reconvene. Although the CPN-UML and Nepali Congress have formed a coalition government in the province, the Congress has not joined it due to differences over sharing ministerial portfolios, causing a legislative deadlock.

The opposition party, CPN (Maoist Centre), has urged the chief minister and Speaker to resume the assembly meeting immediately. However, sources at the assembly secretariat said the meeting will unlikely be held until the Nepali Congress finalises its ministerial candidates and joins the government.

Last week, Chief Minister Hikmat Kumar Karki said that the assembly meeting was deferred at the request of the Nepali Congress as the party was yet to finalise its ministerial nominees.

Speaker Ambar Bahadur Bista said he alone cannot do anything.

“The chief minister is prepared to call a meeting, but the other ruling partner, the Congress, has yet to agree,” said Bista. “While the Congress has not yet joined the government, and the Maoists have exited from the government but not withdrawn their support, these unresolved issues are causing the delay. The assembly session will definitely resume once the Congress joins the government.”

On July 26, the Maoist Centre exited from the Koshi government. Four party ministers, including a minister of state, handed their resignations to Chief Minister Karki. However, the Maoist Centre has not withdrawn its support to the provincial government.

In the 19 months since the Koshi provincial assembly was formed, five sessions, including two special ones, have been held. During this period, the assembly has convened 62 meetings lasting a total of 117 hours, with significant discussions limited to the budget. Consequently, several bills remain pending.

Indra Bahadur Angbo, the Maoist Centre's provincial assembly leader, has criticised the government's failure to convene regular sessions, arguing that it has deprived citizens of their rights.

Angbo said it has also impacted the implementation of the government’s policies, programmes, and budgets. He also accused the Speaker of being a ‘helpless shadow’ of the government, which he said is holding the assembly hostage.

“The government is stifling public voices by holding the assembly hostage. Our party condemns this tendency,” said Angbo. “It is pointless for the government leadership and the Speaker to blame each other.”

The delay has also hindered lawmakers from addressing urgent issues, such as natural disasters impacting the province. Additionally, the assembly’s special committees are still without leadership, and several bills remain stalled. In the past 19 months, Koshi Province has elected chief minister six times, with 43 lawmakers from various parties having served as ministers. The Cabinet has been reshuffled 13 times, with a 14th expansion on the horizon.

The CPN-UML’s Hikmat Karki was appointed chief minister of Koshi Province as per Article 168 (5) of the constitution on May 9.