Himal Press 
KATHMANDU: An impeachment motion has been registered against Madhesh Province Speaker Ram Chandra Mandal on Thursday.
Seven political parties represented in the provincial assembly, including the Nepali Congress (NC), filed the motion, accusing the Speaker of failing to maintain neutrality while conducting assembly proceedings.
The decision to move forward with the impeachment was made during a meeting held in Janakpurdham earlier on Thursday. The meeting was attended by leaders of the NC, Janata Samajbadi Party (JSP) Nepal, Loktantrik Samajbadi Party (LSP) Nepal, Janamat Party, CPN (Maoist Center), CPN (Unified Socialist), and the Nagarik Unmukti Party.
The seven parties have alleged that Speaker Mandal compromised the dignity of the provincial assembly by expressing readiness to face impeachment and by not maintaining an impartial role during the sessions. They claim that he violated procedural norms by proceeding with an assembly meeting even in the absence of government representatives.
According to Ram Ashish Yadav, chief whip of JSP Nepal, the impeachment motion was registered with the signatures of 64 provincial assembly members—more than one-third of the total 107 members as required by the rules.
The motion, filed under Rule 180 of Chapter 21 of the Provincial Assembly Regulations, 2018, accuses Speaker Mandal of conduct unbecoming of his office.
Deputy Speaker Babita Kumari Raut Ishar registered the motion.
Support from two-thirds of the provincial assembly members will be required to pass the impeachment motion.
The dispute stems from the assembly session on November 8, called for the then Chief Minister Jitendra Sonal’s vote of confidence motion. The seven parties contend that Speaker Mandal allowed two Maoist Center lawmakers—Rahabar Ansari and Mala Karna—to speak against party lines, obstructing the vote of confidence process.
The defection by these two Maoist Center lawmakers made it impossible to secure a majority in the trust vote. Sonal subsequently announced his resignation from the assembly floor.
Following his resignation, then Province Chief Sumitra Subedi Bhandari appointed Saroj Kumar Yadav, leader of the CPN-UML parliamentary party, as Chief Minister under Article 168(3) of the Constitution of Nepal, 2015.
However, Bhandari soon became embroiled in controversy for swearing in Yadav at a hotel in Bardibas.
Bhandari was subsequently sacked by President Ram Chandra Paudel on the recommendation of the cabinet. Dr Surendra Labh has been appointed to the position.
