Nepal halts Parliament session before it begins
In an unexpected turn of events, Nepal President Ramchandra Paudel on Thursday suspended the sessions of both houses of the Federal Parliament without even convening them. Earlier, Paudel had summoned the parliamentary session for April 30, on the cabinet’s recommendation, on April 21.
The president cited “special reasons” for suspending the session of both the houses, the House of Representatives and the National Assembly, on the recommendation of the Nepal government and the council of ministers, Ritesh Kumar Shakya, spokesperson of the Office of the President, said. No further details were disclosed regarding the reasons behind the suspension.
Senior-most Parliament Member and Nepali Congress leader Arjun Narsingh K C said that the government’s decision to suspend the Parliament session even without convening was “unprecedented and surprising“. The development comes a day after Nepal Home Minister Sudan Gurung tendered his resignation after allegations relating to his financial conduct while holding the office.
On April 9, Prime Minister Balendra Shah sacked Minister for Labour, Employment and Social Security Dip Kumar Sah from his post at the recommendation of the ruling Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP). In March, Shah – popular only as Balen – and his RSP rode to power, decimating the traditional parties in the first general elections since last year’s violent Gen Z protests that sought generational change and a corruption-free regime.
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