Lower house endorses TRC Bill

KATHMANDU: The House of Representatives endorsed the Bill to Amend the Enforced Disappearances Enquiry, Truth and Reconciliation Commission Act, popularly known as TRC Bill, on Wednesday.

Speaker Devraj Ghimire presented the Bill for a voice vote following discussion on Wednesday. Except for Prem Suwal of Nepal Workers and Peasants Party lawmakers of all major parties stood in support of the Bill.

Speaker Ghimire then declared that the Bill had been endorsed with a majority vote.

Then Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal-led government had decided to register the Bill in parliament on March 9, 2023. However, it remained stuck in the Law, Justice and Human Rights Committee of the lower house for a long time due to a lack of consensus among major parties on some issues.

Nepali Congress, CPN-UML and CPN (Maoist Center) reached a consensus on contentious issues in the Bill last Thursday. Committee chair Bimala Subedi presented the bill to the House of Representatives on Tuesday.

The Bill will now be presented in the National Assembly for deliberations.

Once the Bill is endorsed by both houses and authenticated by the President, it will pave the legal way for two transitional justice commissions – Truth and Reconciliation Commission, and Commission of Investigation on Enforced Disappeared Persons – formed to look into conflict-era cases.