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KATHMANDU: The ruling Nepali Congress (NC) and CPN-UML have started the process to remove Deputy Speaker Indira Rana Magar. The move comes more than a year after similar demands for her resignation were raised by lawmakers from the same parties.
Magar, a proportional representative in the House of Representatives from the Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP), became Deputy Speaker as part of a power-sharing deal when UML’s Devraj Ghimire was elected as the Speaker after the 2022 general election went to UML’s Devraj Ghimire.
The current controversy centers on allegations that Magar, in her capacity as Deputy Speaker, wrote to the US Embassy in Kathmandu on her letterhead in February 2023 to facilitate visa interviews for individuals who were not in any official role, to travel to the US to attend a UN event. After the issue came to light, she admitted she unknowingly made a mistake and that the said individuals were not granted a visa and did not travel to the US. However, ruling coalition leaders have since made repeated attempts to remove her from office.
The two parties had collected signatures of lawmakers to remove Magar in September last year as well. However, the process did not move forward due to internal disagreement within the ruling coalition, particularly among dissenting factions of the NC.
According to UML lawmaker and former minister Rajendra Rai, the process to remove the Deputy Speaker is now moving forward. Both parties are collecting signatures of their respective lawmakers to support a resolution to remove her.
As per Article 91 (6) (C) of the Constitution of Nepal, 2015, the Deputy Speaker can be removed if a resolution is passed by a majority of two-thirds of the total number of the then members of the House of Representatives that his or her conduct is not compatible with his or her office.
Political analysts, however, suspect that the real motive is to gain a majority in the Constitutional Council, the body responsible for recommending appointments to key constitutional commissions, where the ruling coalition lacks a majority.
The Council consists of six members: the Prime Minister, Speaker, National Assembly Chairperson, Chief Justice, Deputy Speaker and the Leader of the Opposition. At present, three of them – the main opposition leader, the National Assembly Chairperson and Deputy Speaker – are from the opposition.
This imbalance has weakened Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli as he has not been able to make appointments to different constitutional bodies. If Rana is removed, NC is expected to get the position of Deputy Speaker, which will ensure a majority for the ruling coalition in the Council.
While the process of bringing a resolution can take time, the immediate goal of the ruling coalition appears to be her suspension. Once a resolution to remove his filed with the signatures of 25% of lawmakers, Magar would be automatically barred from carrying out her duties, including attending Council meetings. This would temporarily give the government a majority in the Council to make the necessary appointments.
The ruling coalition needs the support of 183 lawmakers to pass the resolution. The combined strength of NC (88) and UML (79) is 167. They can get the required number with the support from smaller ruling parties—Janata Samajbadi Party (7), Janamat (6), Loktantrik Samajwadi Party Nepal (4) and Nagarik Unmukti (4). However, it is not clear whether small parties will support the resolution.
Opposition parties, including the Maoist Center, have strongly criticized the move. A meeting of opposition parties, led by Maoist Center Chairperson Pushpa Kamal Dahal, labeled the process to remove the Deputy Speaker as a strategic attempt at a power grab. Senior Maoist Center leader Narayan Kaji Shrestha said the aim is to manipulate the composition of the Constitutional Council for political appointments. “It has nothing to do with the Deputy Speaker’s conduct,” he added.
Unified Socialist leader Rajendra Pandey also accused the government of acting out of “petty political interest” because it lacks a majority in the Council. He warned that the opposition would block the resolution.
Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) Vice President DP Aryal also called on all concerned to reject the ruling coalition’s efforts and protect democratic norms.
