Kathmandu, 21 October: The Chief Whip of Nepal Communist Party (NCP)Dev Gurung has said that the appointment of a new speaker isn’t taking place any time soon.
Speaking at a programme in capital, Gurung said that now isn’t the appropriate time to talk about the issue and stated that it will be addressed in the future as a case related to the appointment of speaker remains sub-judice.
The high-profile constitutional post of speaker has been vacant after then-speaker Krishna Bahadur Mahara tendered resignation from his position after he was accused of committing adultery.
Gurung said that the decision to appoint a new speaker will only be made after the Supreme Court pronounces its verdict on the case which, was filed after the merger between the then UML and Maoist Center. Following the merger, the speaker (who was from the Maoist Center) and his deputy (who was from UML) both represented the same party (NCP).
According to the constitution, the speaker and the deputy speaker should be from two different parties. In this case, an appointment can happen only if both the posts are vacant.
Gurung also stated that if a new speaker was to be appointed, the current deputy-speaker also has to resign. After both posts are vacant, then only new process of choosing speaker begins.
Prime Minister Khagda Oli and his fellow Chair Prachand are reported to have repeatedly asked the current Deputy Speakar to step down the post. The Deputy Speaker, being a woman, has lobbied with President Bidya Bhandari for the post of Speaker, media report. She is reported to have requested Bhandari to influence and convince Oli and Prachand for the same.
People’s News Monitoring Service
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