KATHMANDU, Occt 6: Although parliamentary regulations don’t provide grounds for suspending him, lawmaker Hari Narayan Rauniyar will remain suspended as per provisions in the Corruption Control Act.
Spokesperson at the parliament secretariat Rojnath Pandey said Rauniyar will be suspended right after the authority concerned formally informs about the corruption case registration against him.
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Parliamentary regulations state that lawmakers will not be suspended until they are sent to jail following a court verdict.
Earlier, lawmakers had strongly lobbied for the inclusion of a provision in the parliamentary regulations that they will not be suspended until a court decision.
Rule 244 of the regulations states that lawmakers will be barred from performing any activities in their capacity as lawmakers and their salary and other benefits suspended once they are under arrest. But the rule further explains that they will be suspended only after a jail sentence.
But according to Arjun Khadka, legal affairs joint-secretary at the parliament secretariat, lawmakers will be suspended right after a corruption case is filed at any court of law. Sections 33 and 36 of the Corruption Control Act state that any public office bearer will be automatically suspended once a corruption case is filed against him.
“In case of conflicting provisions the Act will prevail, and the main motive of the parliamentary regulations is to facilitate parliamentary activities,” he added. The corruption control-related law has defined public office bearers as coming under the rubric of civil servant.
