Two crucial issues—impeachment motion against Lokman Singh Karki, the suspended chief of the Commission for Investigation of Abuse of Authority, and election-related bills—have been put on hold, thanks to the ongoing tussle between the ruling coalition and the main opposition party.

Due to continued obstruction of the House proceedings by the CPN-UML in protest against the statute amendment bill registered by the government on November 29, deliberations on impeachment motion against Karki and bills on local polls have been stalled.

Deliberations on the impeachment motion, which began on October 25, are yet to be concluded.

The government on Wednesday registered two more poll-related bills—Bill on Local Level Elections and Bill to Amend and Integrate Prevailing Laws on Election Offences and Punishment. It had registered three bills—Bill to Amend and Integrate Laws related to Functions, Duties and Powers of Election Commission; Bill to Amend and Integrate Laws related to Voter List; and Bill to Amend and Integrate Laws related to Political Parties—on October 4.

Though the government is yet to bring three other election bills related to State Assembly, National Assembly and the House of Representatives, and that new bills would be required if the government decides to hold the local polls under the existing structure, leaders have urged all major parties to focus on holding the local, state and federal elections by January 2018 as required by the constitution.

Nepali Congress leader Ram Sharan Mahat urges major parties to pass the laws necessary for the polls and continue discussion on the impeachment motion. He said the best solution to the current stalemate would be to hold the local polls by making the constitution amendment proposal inactive.

Urging the UML to let House discuss the amendment bill, Mahat said: “The statute amendment bill needs a logical conclusion; the UML just cannot hold Parliament hostage.”

However, opposition leaders have said they will not let the House function until the government withdraws the bill. “The UML is serious about voting in favour of the impeachment motion and is willing to discuss the election-related bills,” said UML Chief Whip Bhanubhakta Dhakal.

“But for that to happen, the government has to take back the amendment bill.”

The UML has maintained that the bill is against national interests.

“When we had only a couple of days to go before deliberations on the impeachment motion ended, the government rushed to register the amendment bill. Moreover, the ruling coalition bypassed us while bringing a proposal that intends to create communal disharmony between the people of the Hills and the Tarai,” said Dhakal.