POKHARA, April 13: A Bill on Salaries and Allowances of Provincial Lawmakers endorsed by the Provincial Meeting of the Province 4 has laid down a provision according to which a leader of the party having ten percent seats can become chief whip.
According to the Bill, the chief whip will enjoy more allowances and facilities compared to the other lawmakers. Even though only five parties participate in the Provincial Assembly, only three parties cross the 10 percent threshold. With this provision in place, Naya Shakti Party and Rastriya Janamorcha (RJM) will be deprived of these facilities.
NSP and RJM had also written a note of dissent against this provision.
A lawmaker to get Rs 124,000 as monthly salary, allowances
Speaking in the meeting, Nepali Congress lawmaker Dobate Bishwokarma commented that this 10 percent threshold is quite demeaning to the fringe parties.
The provision is humiliating to those who have become lawmakers crossing the three percent threshold, he said, adding “The double threshold provision has demeaned the fringe parties. This bill is against the democratic norms that the opposition party should be respected.”
Similarly, RJM lawmaker Krishna Thapa has said that the provision is not in line with the Constitution.
Section 2 (b) of the Bill has included Speaker Deputy Speaker of the Province Assembly, pposition leaders, party whips and chairman of the Provincial Assembly committee as office bearers.
Similarly, Section 2 (d) has mentioned that the whip of the party is the leader elected by the party in the Provincial Assembly that has crossed the 10 percent threshold.
