Kathmandu, June 7: Nepali Congress leader Arjun Narsingh KC has strongly objected to the government’s unilateral changes to tax rates in the financial bill after it had already been passed by Parliament.
KC said the Finance Minister’s move to alter tax rates by sending a letter under the pretext of “correcting errors” after the bill had been tabled sets a dangerous precedent, suggesting that the executive can act arbitrarily while bypassing the legislature.
In a post on X, he wrote, “This is a clear violation of parliamentary rules, norms and established international practice. It is a blatant intrusion into the privileges of the sovereign Parliament. In mature parliamentary democracies such as India and the United Kingdom, it is unheard of for a bill presented to Parliament to be bypassed or ignored under executive pressure. This incident is an open display of arbitrariness and a grave insult to parliamentary tradition.”
KC argued that registering a bill through political pressure reflects institutional weakness and amounts to “the killing of parliamentary democracy and the arrogance of a majority.”
“If the government is allowed to play with commas and full stops in a sensitive matter like the budget by violating rules, then what is Parliament for?” he questioned.
He further wrote, “This is a clear sign of authoritarian tendencies. It has not only mocked the sovereign Parliament but has also wounded the very spirit of parliamentary democracy.”
Warning that the country appears to be moving toward elected authoritarianism, KC called for the process to be halted immediately.
He said the government, which enjoys a parliamentary majority, should acknowledge its mistake and formally present amendments to the bill in Parliament.
“Otherwise, the Constitution, the parliamentary system and democratic practices will be reduced to mere facades,” he wrote.
People’s News Monitoring Service
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