Parties close to consensus on resuming House proceedings

KATHMANDU: Major political parties are nearing a consensus on resolving the parliamentary stalemate.

CPN-UML Chief Whip said continued talks with opposition parties had brought them close to an agreement. “Discussions will resume ahead of Monday’s session to iron out any remaining differences,” he added. “The government is committed to addressing corruption in state institutions, and our discussions are progressing with that assurance.”

The House has remained disrupted for weeks due to a dispute over the visit visa controversy, with opposition parties, mainly the main opposition CPN (Maoist Center) and Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP), demanding the formation of an investigation committee against Minister for Home Affairs Ramesh Lekhak.

However, the ruling parties, the Nepali Congress (NC) and CPN-UML, have categorically opposed the creation of a separate investigative committee, arguing that the Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA) is already probing the matter.

Meanwhile, Maoist Center leader Shakti Basnet drafted a two-point proposal after consulting with NC leaders. The proposal supports the CIAA’s ongoing investigation and urges the government to create a mechanism to study policy-related issues concerning visit visas and immigration, according to a Maoist Center leader.

However, Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) objected to the absence of terms like “investigation” or “committee” in the draft. It has sought more time to discuss the proposal in the party.

The main opposition Maoist Center’s decision to drop its demand for the formation of a probe committee has put the RSP under pressure.