DHANGADHI, June 1: Kailari Rural Municipality of Dhangadi has introduced its own code of conduct for meetings of elected people's representatives. They have introduced rules that demand respect for the rural municipality's chairperson akin to the respect shown to the Speaker in parliament. The code of conduct requires other elected representatives to stand up in the honor of the chairperson as he enters the meeting hall and restricts them from leaving the meeting room before the chairperson.
Similarly, the code restricts them from leaving their seats while the chairperson is speaking. Likewise, they have to keep their cell phones switched off during meetings.
Chairperson of Kailari Rural Municipality Laju Ram Chaudhary said that the code of conduct comes under part 12 of the Village Council Meeting Conduction Procedure passed by the Village Council meeting held in July. He added that the code of conduct was created based on a draft sent by the Ministry of Federal Affairs and General Administration .
Deuba’s volte-face on local elections
“After a discussion on the draft followed by a modification, the code of conduct was passed by the local body,” he said, “We pasted a copy of the code of conduct on the office's door after it was passed by the Village Council meeting.”
According to Chaudhary, Kailari Village Council which consists of 59 members has already passed 12 laws for the local unit. He added that a majority of the rural municipalities have modified the draft sent by the Ministry of Federal Affairs and General Administration to form their code of conduct.
“Local bodies have modified the draft sent by Ministry of Federal Affairs and General Administration according to their needs to formulate the codes of conduct,” said coordinator of National Association of Rural Municipalities of Province 7, Durga Ojha, “Local bodies have the right to formulate their own laws regarding meetings. Village councils can act like parliaments at the local level.” He added that the rules regarding the conduction of meetings and respect to the chairperson can be formulated if needed.
“A code of conduct similar to Kailari's has been put in place at Dhangadhi Sub-Metropolitan City Office too,” said information officer of Dhangadhi Sub-Metropolitan City Surendra Singh, “Almost all local units have similar rules, but only Kailari has attracted attention.”
Chairpersons have to act as the Speaker of parliament in the meetings of the village councils. According to the Local Governance Act 2017, the village councils can formulate a maximum of 22 rules and at least two meetings should be held at the local level annually.
