Government Promises 166 Bills, First Month Sees Mostly Amendments

Kathmandu. The government had stated that it would bring 166 bills to the federal parliament in the current fiscal year. Minister for Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Sobita Gautam, on Asar 31, met with National Assembly Chairman Narayana Dahal and addressed the House, stating that 166 bills would be introduced in the fiscal year 2083/084, comprising 97 new bills and 69 bills to amend existing laws. This number includes more new laws than amendments to old ones. However, looking at the number of bills registered in the Federal Parliament Secretariat in the first month of the fiscal year, the number of amendments to old laws is much higher than new laws. Of the 9 bills registered in the Federal Parliament Secretariat in Shrawan, 7 are 'amendment bills' brought to amend old laws, while only one new law has been registered.

The amendment bills registered in parliament include the Nepal Law Commission (First Amendment) Bill, 2083, the Child Related (First Amendment) Bill, 2083, the Employees Provident Fund (Tenth Amendment) Bill, 2083, the Mediation Related (Second Amendment) Bill, 2083, the Passport (First Amendment) Bill, 2083, the Human Trafficking and Transportation (Control) (First Amendment) Bill, 2083, and the Remuneration, Service Conditions and Facilities of Office Bearers of Constitutional Bodies (First Amendment) Bill, 2083. The Mines and Minerals Bill, 2083 and the 'Child Labour (Prohibition and Regulation) Bill, 2083 have been registered in the Federal Parliament Secretariat as new bills. The National Independent Party, which secured a single majority in the House of Representatives elections held last Falgun, had stated that the government would bring about a paradigm shift. However, looking at the work, it appears to be a continuation of the work started by the previous government, says Chief Opposition Whip Niskal Rai of the Nepali Congress. 'The government had said it would bring about a paradigm shift. But in terms of work, no paradigm shift is visible,' Whip Rai told Ratopati. 'It is only trying to take credit by making minor changes to the work done by the previous government and parliament and presenting it as a timely change. This is also evident in the registration of amendment bills.' Rai stated that none of the bills in the list presented by Law Minister Gautam to the parliament for the fiscal year were indicative of a paradigm shift. 'There is nothing new in the list that the Law Minister has given to present in the House in the fiscal year,' Rai said. 'Moreover, in the first month, only laws that are amendments to old ones, with one or two sentences changed, have been presented as new laws.' Rai also accused the government of failing to provide sufficient business to the parliament, leading to the parliament not being able to function regularly.