Preparations Underway to Convene House of Representatives Meeting

Kathmandu — The vote counting for the House of Representatives election held on March 5 is nearing completion. The Federal Parliament Secretariat says preparations have begun to convene the House once the Election Commission officially publishes the final results.

Article 93 of the Constitution of Nepal sets out provisions for summoning and proroguing parliamentary sessions. Under this provision, the President must call a session of the Federal Parliament within 30 days of the declaration of the final results of the House of Representatives election.

However, according to Federal Parliament Secretariat spokesperson Ekram Giri, in practice the secretariat has not waited that long. Parliament sessions have typically been convened within one to two weeks after the final results are announced.

“The secretariat usually gives newly elected lawmakers about ten days to arrive in Kathmandu before issuing the notice for the parliamentary meeting,” Giri said. During that period, the senior-most member of parliament takes the oath of office from the President and then administers the oath to other lawmakers, he added.

Giri also said that, until a Speaker is elected, the senior-most member presides over the House in accordance with legal provisions.

“The first meeting of parliament announces the election of the Speaker,” he said. “In addition, each party is asked to nominate three lawmakers who can preside over meetings in the Speaker’s absence. After that, any ordinances, if issued, are presented in the House.”

Parliament to meet in alternate hall

Because the new federal parliament building is still under construction, the House of Representatives will temporarily meet in another hall built for a different purpose.

According to Giri, technical arrangements are currently underway to hold meetings in the hall located between the under-construction buildings for the House of Representatives and the National Assembly.

Under an agreement signed on October 3, 2019, between the Ministry of Urban Development and the construction company Tundi-SEC Joint Venture, the Federal Parliament building was supposed to be completed within three years, by October 2022. However, citing reasons including the COVID-19 pandemic, the project has yet to be finished.

The parliamentary complex, being built on 151 ropanis of land, will include the House of Representatives building, the National Assembly building, VIP facilities and other offices, totaling 12 buildings.

Inside the complex, there will be eight main buildings, a joint lobby with a capacity of 350 seats, and office spaces for 10 parliamentary parties.

The complex will also include four additional VIP halls, two parliament secretariat buildings, a parliamentary library, two cafeterias with capacities of 100 and 300 people respectively, and parking space for around 390 vehicles.