Kathmandu, Oct 25: As the existing parliament approaches its one-year anniversary since its establishment, Ganga Karki, representing the CPN (Maoist Centre) in the House of Representatives (HoR), reflects on the crucial legislative responsibilities of a lawmaker: the enactment of laws. However, his evaluation is that the much-needed laws mandated by the Constitution of the federal democratic republic of Nepal are still awaited, impeding the effective implementation of the country’s main law. Likewise, the lawmaker from Dolakha believes that that political parties’ focus on serving the partisan and individual interests has its implications on the operation of the House.
“But again, the latest development is not disappointing. Parliamentary procedures are well-defined, and the passage of any law follows a set process. Although the House has fallen short of meeting the people’s expectations for legislation, recent times have seen the presentations of various bills in parliament, and they should be expedited for resolution.” He is dissatisfied with the ‘mindset’ to establish a notion that the federal democratic system is merely the continuity of the previous parliamentary system. As he said, such mindset is an obstruction to serve the interest of the federal democratic republic system. The 60-year-old lawmaker had joined the leftist movement when he was still a minor. He has also the experiences of taking charge of a brigadier commissar during the ‘people’s war’. The lawmaker evaluates that an absence of a single majority in the House has hindered the implementation of party election manifestos.
The coalition government, led by the third-largest party in parliament, has had to consider the sentiments of coalition partners in every parliamentary move. However, the recent pace of bill presentations in the House is deemed satisfactory, according to him. As he said, several bills, including those aimed at preventing loan sharking, relating to citizenship, land, education, anti-money laundering, and energy, have been introduced in parliament. This progress could not go unnoticed amidst the presence of a coalition government, even though expectations have not been fully met. According to him, frequent house obstructions over different matters have impacted the preparations of bills.
He said those who are against a federal democratic republic system are unnecessarily protesting both in the House and on the streets. “The mindset to reverse the achievements is concerning. Some faces are publicly correct and support a progressive system in the nation, but in reality, they oppose the concepts of a republic, secularism, proportional inclusion, hindering the nation’s path to progress,” the lawmaker adds.—
