Today’s meeting of the House of Representatives (HoR) has been obstructed following the protest of main opposition party, Nepali Congress (NC). The meeting which started around 45 minutes behind the schedule could not be forwarded following the interruption by the NC lawmakers. They stood from their respective seats in a gesture of protest. The NC parliamentarians objected to the corruption case lodged by the Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA) at the Special Court against their parliamentary party’s deputy leader Bijaya Kumar Gachchhadar in connection to Lalita Niwas land scam. It is the third time NC obstructed the House over the same issue in the current session. In today’s meeting, HoR Speaker Agni Prasad Sapkota repeatedly requested for the lawmakers’ cooperation to run the House smoothly, but the protest from the opposition party’s lawmakers continue unabated. The Speaker, apprising the House of constitutional provision about the matter, made it clear that the issue could not be resolved by the parliament as it has already entered the court. He drew the attention of the major opposition towards keeping the parliament’s dignity, pride and supremacy. NC lawmaker Dilendra Prasad Badu said how the case in regard with the Lalita Niwas land scam was initiated against those involved in it was the concern of the party while other lawmakers continued to refuse to take their seats. Amidst the protest, major ruling party Nepal Communist Party (NCP) whip Shanta Chaudhary objected to the opposition’s move and demanded the operation of House proceedings. The HoR shall meet again at 1:00 pm on February 11.
