Deputy Speaker Tumbahamphe resigns

KATHMANDU, Jan 20: Deputy Speaker Shiva Maya Tumbahamphe has announced her resignation from her position on Monday.

Addressing a meeting of the House of Representatives before tendering her resignation, she said that she has paved the way for the House to carry on its business.

“I decided to tender my resignation from the post after arriving at the conclusion that the sovereign people’s elected institution should not remain without a speaker for long due to an unexpected and unusual circumstance,” she said.

She further stated that she wanted to clear the way for the election of the Speaker after “a solid basis for the same has been created”.

According to her, her decision was based on the principle that it would not be appropriate to keep the House without a leader by resigning from the deputy speaker post in a state of confusion.

“Now a concrete basis for the election of the Speaker has been created, and so I tender my resignation from the post of deputy speaker,” she added.

“Though the responsibility is achieved through the party’s recommendation or the election, any candidate assuming the constitutional post is free from the relation with the party.  While remaining in the post, such an individual is not guided by the party direction but remains active being guided by the constitutional provisions and law. I have also tried my best to carry out the given responsibilities honestly on the same basis,” she said.

“The moments in the past two years I spent with the parliament members as the capacity of the deputy speaker will be in my memory as unforgettable and happy moments of her life.”

The ruling Nepal Communist Party has already picked Agni Sapkota as its candidate for the speaker election.