Disputes over selection of bank for salary accounts disrupt assembly meeting

JANAKPURDHAM: The Madhesh Province Assembly meeting was disrupted on Wednesday as assembly members could not come to a consensus on which banks to use for their salary accounts.

The Provincial Assembly Secretariat, a few days ago, sent a message to all lawmakers requesting that they open their salary accounts in Everest Bank Ltd. However, on Wednesday, they were asked to instead open their accounts in NBM Bank. The secretariat had even invited bank staffers to facilitate the account opening process for the assembly members on the province assembly premises.

According to a province assembly member, representatives from NMB Bank Ltd even held a discussion with Speaker Ramchandra Mandal on Wednesday.

Assembly members representing Nepali Congress (NC), however, are for opening their accounts in Nepal Investment Mega Bank (NIMB). They had invited representatives from NIMB to the provincial assembly secretariat to facilitate the account opening process. However, Speaker Mandal ordered security personnel to not allow NIMB representatives onto the provincial assembly premises.

Protesting Speaker Mandal’s decision, NC assembly members disrupted the house session on Wednesday. The Chief Whip of NC in the Madhesh Province Assembly stated that they disrupted the house proceedings after their guests were denied entry into the Provincial Assembly Secretariat.

Speaker Mandal, however, clarified that only those who are promoting anarchy or have a business purpose have been denied entry. “What should we do with people who come to the province assembly with a bomb?” Mandal questioned.

Province assembly member Jivachhi Yadav took exception to the Speaker’s comment and expressed that it was not appropriate for the Speaker to make such remarks.

Some Provincial Assembly members have suggested that the dispute over opening bank accounts may be related to commissions offered by the banks.