Prez seeks expert advice

KATHMANDU, SEP 13 -
President Dr. Ram Baran Yadav has sought advice from senior law and constitution experts on what role he could play to resolve the political deadlock.

After their meeting with the president, the experts said on Monday that among other things, they suggested the president to urge Speaker Subas Nembang to scrap the system of neutrality, and if that fails, to amend the Parliamentary rules to provision a minority government.

The president sought suggestions on what he could do from “within his jurisdiction” to break the deadlock over electing a new prime minister, unveiling the annual budget and ensuring the promulgation of the constitution in time. Though the president seemed “deeply worried” about the current political impasse and was eager to “do something”, the experts said the consultation was not out of his desire to become “active” by going beyond the constitution.

The experts suggested that the president urge the Speaker to bar lawmakers from staying neutral in House elections. “It is the Speaker’s failure. He has the authority to make the lawmakers vote because the Parliamentary Rules do not mention anywhere that lawmakers can stay neutral,” said Advocate Chandra Kant Gyawali, one of the experts.

The experts argued that since the provision of neutrality is mentioned only in the Constituent Assembly (CA) rules and not in the Parliamentary rules, the Speaker cannot borrow the rules of the CA to the Parliament.

They said the president could “warn” the Speaker to resolve the deadlock through a ruling. On whether a caretaker government can unveil the government’s policies and budget, they said it was possible as long as they are meant for mid- and short-term.

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