Speaker orders PM Balendra Shah to attend Parliament and answer lawmakers

CPN-UML parliamentary party deputy leader Padma Kumari Aryal welcomed Monday’s ruling, saying the opposition had been seeking answers from the prime minister on the issue for a long time.

The ruling party also welcomed the decision. RSP chief whip Kabindra Burlakoti said the Speaker had coordinated with the prime minister and that Shah would attend Parliament on August 26.

“The Speaker took the initiative and coordinated on this matter, and it has now been decided that the prime minister will come [to parliament] on August 26,” Burlakoti said.

He said the prime minister’s appearance could help resolve the dispute that has affected House proceedings. Burlakoti also said Shah’s busy schedule should not prevent him from fulfilling his parliamentary responsibilities.

A member of Shah’s secretariat said the prime minister had already been preparing to answer lawmakers. According to the official, the process of collecting written questions and preparing responses had begun before the Speaker issued the ruling.

Nepali Congress whip Nishcal Rai said Shah should use the opportunity to respond to lawmakers and address the controversy surrounding his earlier remarks. He also praised the Speaker’s role in ensuring executive accountability to Parliament.

“We wanted the Speaker to issue such a ruling,” Rai said, adding that opposition lawmakers had ended their protest because they trusted the office of the Speaker. He said they expected Shah to attend Parliament, clarify his earlier remarks and, if necessary, correct or withdraw them from the record.

Before issuing the ruling, Aryal had reportedly visited the prime minister’s office twice to urge Shah to attend Parliament. People familiar with those meetings said the Speaker advised the prime minister that appearing personally before lawmakers would be preferable. Shah did not set a specific date at the time, saying he would attend when appropriate.

Former parliament secretary-general Manohar Prasad Bhattarai said the Speaker should not have needed to issue such an order if the prime minister had regularly fulfilled his parliamentary responsibilities.

“An accountable government must answer questions raised by elected representatives in parliament. This should not have needed to be said,” Bhattarai said.

He said the prime minister should use Parliament to address national and international issues and stressed that the executive cannot disregard the legislature.

“The prime minister cannot ignore parliament. He must be accountable to the House under the Constitution, parliamentary rules, practices, and conventions,” Bhattarai said.

The planned August 26 appearance could ease a dispute that has affected parliamentary proceedings for months. It will also provide Shah an opportunity to directly respond to lawmakers over his previous statements and other questions concerning the government's work.