Prime Minister Balendra Shah largely absent as Parliament wraps up session
Summary
Prime Minister Balendra Shah faced criticism for frequent absences from Parliament as the House of Representatives and National Assembly wrapped up their session. Lawmakers also clashed over parliamentary regulations, points of order and the removal of contentious remarks from the record.
Key Points
- Shah was criticized by both the opposition and some government lawmakers for rarely attending Parliament and failing to answer questions in the House.
- The budget session ended after 62 days, with the House of Representatives holding 68 meetings and the federal Parliament two joint sittings.
- Disputes over House regulations led to protests, a vote, and a later interim Supreme Court order blocking two disputed provisions.
- Speaker DP Aryal said 14 lawmakers missed 10 or more consecutive meetings, with Pushpa Kamal Dahal topping the list due to hospitalization.
