Speaker refuses to discuss Sarita Giri’s amendment

KATHMANDU, June 13: The House of Representatives Speaker Agni Sapkota has rejected to discuss the amendment proposal on Constitution of Nepal Second Amendment Bill 2077 filed by the Janata Samajbadi Party lawmaker Sarita Giri.

After the Speaker announced the passing of the proposal on deliberation on the amendment presented by Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Dr Shivamaya Tumbahangphe, Giri stood from the seat to protest the bill only to face objection from the entire House.

Sapkota then informed the House that her amendment proposal has been rejected as per the rule 112 of the House of Representatives Regulation 2075 and rejected to discuss her amendment. Giri has claimed that the government lacks sufficient evidence to claim the lands encroached by India.

Janata Samajbadi has already decided to vote in favor of the amendment and had earlier instructed Giri to drop the amendment or face consequence.

The House is set to pass the second amendment that seeks to revise the Schedule-3 to update the map of Nepal in the national emblem as per the new Nepal map the government released last month incorporating the territories of Kalapani, Lipulekh and Limpiyadhura.

A clause-wise deliberation on the bill has begun in the parliament, following which the house will move forward the process to endorse the bill.

The bill needs at least two-third majority to get endorsed. All the parties including the main opposition party Nepal Congress, the Janata Samajbadi Party have already decided to vote in favor of the bill.

The government had registered the bill in the federal parliament on May 22 and Minister Tumbahangphe had presented it in the parliament on May 24. The HoR had passed the proposal unanimously seeking consideration on June 9.

Once the bill gets endorsed, it will be taken to the National Assembly for approval.