KATHMANDU, Feb 25: Main opposition party Nepali Congress (NC) has drawn the attention of President Bidya Devi Bhandari over her decision to appoint National Assembly members while sitting on the recommendations made for those posts by the outgoing government.
The NC's parliamentary party meeting held on Saturday demanded that the president correct her decision. It took strong exception to her appointing those recommended by the UML-led government instead.
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NC has termed the decision of the newly-formed government to overrule the recommendations of the NC-led government and the president's endorsement of those recommended by the UML-led government as 'unconstitutional'. The party has reiterated that the recommendations made by the Deuba government for upper house members were constitutional as it was this government that had concluded the local, provincial and parliamentary elections.
Earlier, the incoming Oli government had recommended Yubaraj Khatiwada, Ram Narayan Bidari and Bimala Paudel Rai for appointment to the National Assembly, overturning the recommendations of the Deuba cabinet. UML claimed that it was unethical for the outgoing government to recommend the upper house members after losing the polls.
The three individuals recommended by the Deuba government --Gopal Basnet, Krishna Prasad Paudel and Chandani Joshi--have meanwhile moved to Supreme Court, demanding their own appointment to the upper house. The case is now sub judice.
The NC parliamentary party meeting has also decided to amend the parliamentary party statute unanimously. Similarly the meeting has extended its thank to the erstwhile NC-led government for successfully concluding the three-phase elections in the country.
