I was dismissed unconstitutionally: Madhesh Speaker Mandal

JANAKPURDHAM: Ram Chandra Mandal, who was removed as the Speaker of the Madhesh Province Assembly on charges of acting against the dignity of his office, has claimed that he was dismissed unconstitutionally.

Deputy Speaker Babitakumari Raut Ishar announced his removal on Wednesday after a motion to remove Speaker Mandal presented by Nepali Congress (NC) Chief Whip Kumar Kant Jha was passed by two-thirds majority.

Speaking to the media after the vote, Mandal said he had become a political victim of the dispute among political parties over the position of Chief Minister. “First of all, the proposal itself was not registered through a legal process. Moreover, convening a provincial assembly meeting in the absence of the government, as per Clause 6 (6) of the Provincial Assembly Procedures Regulation, 2018, is itself unconstitutional,” he said.

Mandal added that while the NC, which voted against then-Chief Minister Jitendra Sonal to claim the chief ministership, has now stood with the seven-party coalition in the opposition bench.

“I ended up becoming a victim of the cynical political manoeuvering carried out to claim the Chief Minister’s position,” he said.

When asked whether he will knock the court’s door or accept the decision, Mandal said: “Let’s see what happens next.”