BUTWAL, Aug 22: After Lumbini Province Assembly Secretariat refused to take action against two lawmakers --- Ajaya Shahi and Bimala Kumari Khatri Oli --- as per its demand, the main opposition in the province, CPN-UML has demanded that Speaker Purna Bahadur Gharti step down from his position immediately.
While objecting to the decision made by the provincial assembly secretariat, the UML insisted that both Shahi and Khatri attended the parliamentary meeting in their capacity as the lawmaker of the party on May 2, June 2 and June 13.
Writing to the UML, the secretariat, earlier on Sunday, stated that the action taken against Ajaya Shahi and Bimala Khatri Oli could not be endorsed as it lacked strong ground for relieving them.
The UML had sent a letter to the secretariat asking Speaker Purna Bahadur Gharti to ‘sack’ Shahi and Khatri citing the party had taken action against them for breaching party whip.
The UML, which has recently lost the command of the provincial government, also obstructed House meetings for two consecutive days demanding Speaker Gharti relive two members immediately.
In its response to the UML, the Province Assembly Secretariat stated that they [Shahi and Khatri] could not be taken any action by the UML as they said that they no longer belong to the UML.
Issuing a press statement shortly after the Provincial Secretariat’s decision, the chief whip of UML in the province, Bhumishowr Dhakal said that the ‘verdict’ issued by Speaker Gharti goes against the spirit of rule of law and parliamentary norms.
"As the prevailing law, facts, parliamentary values and norms do not allow such a jurisdiction to the Speaker, he should remain in office on moral grounds,” read the statement.
