Lawmakers absent as Parliament’s work loses momentum

Parliamentary proceedings in Nepal's House of Representatives were stalled Tuesday when a critical government bill could not be advanced due to a severe lack of quorum. Most lawmakers had departed the chamber, leaving the House short of the minimum number required to conduct a vote, a situation that has reignited questions about legislative discipline and accountability.

The episode unfolded as the House prepared to vote on the Mines and Minerals Bill, 2026. While the session began with 223 lawmakers present, by the time Speaker DP Aryal called for the vote at 8:05 p.m., only 61 remained. The constitution requires at least one-fourth of the total membership, 69 lawmakers in this case, to be present for any decision.

The failure was particularly notable among the ruling benches, which command a near two-thirds majority. Of the 182 lawmakers supporting the government, only 52 were still present, including one minister. The opposition parties fared even worse, with only eight lawmakers remaining. The bill's sponsor, Minister for Industry, Commerce and Supplies Gauri Kumari Yadav, was present, as were the Deputy Speaker and some other ministers.

As the quorum requirement was not met, the proposal to consider the Mines and Minerals Bill was deferred and will be put to a vote at the next sitting. The absence of lawmakers from parties like the CPN-UML and Rastriya Prajatantra Party was also noted. This incident underscores a significant challenge for the ruling Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) in ensuring its legislative agenda can proceed, despite its strong majority.

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