President Bidya Devi Bhandari has said that some technical, political and legal glitches have kept her from approving an ordinance related to formation of the upper house.

In a meeting with a Nepali Congress team led by party Chairman and Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba at the President’s Office on Friday, Bhandari stressed the need for breaking the political deadlock by taking into account the constitution, laws, regulations and democratic values. PM Deuba apprised the President on the positions of the government and his party on the ordinance.

“We categorically told the President about the constitutional provisions on formation of the federal parliament,” said senior NC leader Bimalendra Nidhi. Without approving the ordinance, the National Assembly would not be formed. “Unless the upper house is formed, the federal parliament cannot take shape,” Nidhi quoted Congress leaders as telling the head of state, adding that they had emphasised the urgency of forming the federal parliament for installing a new government. The NC leaders urged the head of state to approve the ordinance as soon as possible.

The leaders reminded the President of the government’s duty in the parliamentary system, saying that the Cabinet takes full responsibility for the merits and demerits of the ordinance. Leader Krishna Prasad Sitaula argued that a ceremonial President cannot reject the law prepared by the government. Law Minister Yagya Bahadur Thapa said the ordinance was a must for forming the upper house. “I’m eager to hand over power” to a new government as soon as the upper house is elected, Deuba told the President. (PR)