KATHMANDU, Nov 30: The ruling parties have floated the proposal to designate the vice president as the speaker of the National Assembly through a constitutional amendment. This issue was previously debated during the drafting of the constitution by the Constituent Assembly but was excluded due to disagreements among major political parties.
If an attempt is made to amend the constitution to make the vice president the chairperson of the National Assembly, it appears that all parties are likely to agree. This amendment is being viewed positively as it would help reduce the financial burden on the state. Article 92 of the Constitution currently has provisions for the election of the chairperson and vice chairperson of the National Assembly. Preparations are underway to amend this article and eliminate the election system for the chairperson.
Efforts are being made to include a provision in Article 67 of the Constitution that assigns the role of the chairperson of the National Assembly to the vice president. Preparations are underway to amend the constitution to add this responsibility to the vice president’s duties, while retaining the existing provision that allows the vice president to perform the duties of the president in the latter's absence.
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Similarly, arrangements are being planned to provide the vice president with two offices. The vice president will operate from the National Assembly when performing duties there and from the vice president's office when not engaged in the upper house work. Several countries with parliamentary systems have also adopted similar provisions, allowing the vice president to maintain dual offices.
It is common for the vice president to have an office in the Parliament when presiding over the upper house and a separate office outside the Parliament for their duties as vice president. In neighboring India, the vice president also serves as the presiding officer of the upper house, the Rajya Sabha. A dedicated office is provided for the vice president to carry out responsibilities outside the Parliament.
The ruling coalition of the Nepali Congress and CPN-UML is preparing to introduce a constitutional amendment bill in the upcoming winter session of Parliament. A legal expert has stated that if the constitution is amended by a two-thirds majority in both houses of Parliament to designate the vice president as the chairperson of the National Assembly, the current chairperson, Narayan Prasad Dahal, will be relieved of his position effective from the date the amendment.
Narayan Prasad Dahal's position as a Member of Parliament will remain unaffected. Dahal was nominated as a National Assembly member on April 8, 2022, and his term as an MP will continue until March 3, 2028.
Commenting on the matter, Ram Narayan Bidari, a former National Assembly member affiliated with the Maoist Center, said, "When amending the constitution, there will be theoretical and practical discussions. The focus will not be on who will lose their post and who will not. There is no reason for the Maoist Party to oppose the proposal of assigning the vice president the additional responsibility of the chairperson of the National Assembly."
If the constitution is amended in the winter session of Parliament to make the vice president the chairperson of the National Assembly, it would be a practical disadvantage for the Maoist Center but a benefit for the Janata Samajwadi Party Nepal. Currently, Ram Sahay Prasad Yadav, an MP from the Janata Samajwadi Party Nepal, holds the position of vice president.
At a program in the capital a week ago, Nepali Congress President Sher Bahadur Deuba said that the constitution would be amended to include a provision making the vice president also the chairperson of the National Assembly. This amendment was prioritized when the Nepali Congress and UML reached an agreement to form a government on the night of July 1.
