Government’s ordinance push hits a wall

Nepal's government is on the verge of losing four significant ordinances introduced in April, as the constitutional 60-day deadline for parliamentary approval looms without the necessary consensus.

President Ramchandra Paudel issued eight ordinances between April 30 and May 5. These were presented to parliament on May 11. However, Article 114 of Nepal's Constitution mandates that ordinances must be endorsed by both houses through replacement bills within 60 days, or they automatically lapse.

With the deadline approaching, four politically contentious ordinances, related to amendments for the Constitutional Council Act, removal of public office holders, university laws, and other acts, have not entered the parliamentary approval process. The government has not introduced replacement bills for these, indicating a failure to build the required political consensus.

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All four bills would clear the committee with agreed amendments.

The ruling Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) holds a majority in the House of Representatives but lacks sufficient strength in the National Assembly. This necessitates negotiation with opposition parties for legislation requiring approval from both chambers. The decision to prioritize only four ordinances reportedly stems from agreements with major opposition parties, allowing less controversial measures to advance while disputed ones are sidelined.

The four ordinances that have progressed concern amendments to the Cooperative Act, Public Procurement Act, Anti-Money Laundering Act, and health science academies. Their replacement bills have passed the House of Representatives and moved to the upper house. However, none have completed the full legislative process. The National Assembly's legislation management committee has endorsed some with amendments, while others remain under discussion, with further meetings scheduled to seek consensus on outstanding proposals.

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All four