Federal Parliament members sworn-in
KATHMANDU, March 4: Newly elected members of House of Representatives took the oath of office and secrecy today at Baneshwor-based Federal Parliament Building at 4:00 pm today.
Senior-most member of the House of Representatives Mahantha Thakur administered the oath of office and secrecy to the HoR members. Earlier, President Bidya Devi Bhandari had administered the oath of office and secrecy to Thakur today itself.
There are 275 members in the House of Representatives including 165 members elected under first-past-the-post category and 110 under proportional representation category. The CPN-UML has 121 members, NC has 63, and CPN-MC has 53 while Federal Socialist Forum Nepal has 17 and Rastriya Janata Party has 16 members. Likewise, the Naya Shakti Party, Rastriya Prajatantra Party, Rastriya Janamorcha and Nepal Majdoor Kissan Party has one member each and one member is an independent member.
SILWAL ATTENDS CEREMONY
Former Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Nawaraj Silwal, who who had been hiding for the past several months to avoid arrest over alleged document forgery, also showed up for the oath taking ceremony.
Four Lawmakers Top Bahadur Rayamajhi, Mahendra Raya Yadav, Dharmashila Chapagain and Resham Lal Chaudhary were absent during the oath ceremony. Chaudhary, accused of Tikapur incident, in currently in police custody while other three members did not attend the ceremony citing personal reasons, according to Secretariat Spokesperson Dr Bharat Raj Gautam.
President Bhandari, on the recommendation of the Government, has summoned the first meeting of federal parliament for March 5.
Out of the HoR members, 38 members took oath of office and secrecy in their respective mother tongue including Bojpuri, Maithali, Awadhi, Tamang, Tharu, Magar and Hindi.
ONLY 55 NA MEMBERS SWORN-IN
Likewise, fifty-five members elected in the National Assembly, the upper house of Nepal’s bicameral federal parliament also took oath of office and secrecy.
NA senior most member Tara Devi Bhatta administered the oath of office and secrecy to them this evening. NA member Ramesh Prasad Yadav was absent on the occasion. In the 59-member NA, there is the representation of eight members including (at least) three women, one Dalit and one person with disability or minority group from each seven provinces.
The CPN-UML has 27 members, the Nepali Congress 13 and the CPN (Maoist Center) has 12 in the upper house. Likewise, two are each from the Rastriya Janata Party and Federal Socialist Forum. Following the ceremony, Federal Parliament Secretariat general secretary Manohar Prasad Bhattarai congratulated them.
However, the swearing-in of the three NA members was not held today, for the Supreme Court had earlier issued an order staying their oath.
Earlier, President Bidya Devi Bhandari administered the oath of office and secrecy to the senior most member Bhatta. Currently, there are 21 women and 35 men members in the NA.
With the promulgation of new constitution and the changed system of federal republic, it is the first time the NA is formed. Article 86 of the Constitution of Nepal has provided the formation of NA and the term of its members.
The term of the one third of the NA members expires every two year. The tenure of the NA is six year.