By A Staff Reporter

Kathmandu, Dec. 21: The 5th session of the Federal Parliament began on Friday.
Deputy Speaker Shiva Maya Tumbahangphe chaired the meeting today.
After Krishna Bahadur Mahara resigned from the post of Speaker, the House of Representatives has been without Speaker since October.
Mahara is now in the Dillibazaar jail on a charge of sexually harassing a staff of the Parliament Secretariat.
The House of Representatives will elect a new Speaker in the current session.
Political parties suggested Deputy Speaker Tumbahangphe to initiate the process to elect Speaker from the next meeting of the House scheduled for December 27.
Both the Upper and Lower Houses endorsed separate condolence messages on the sad demises of former lawmakers.
Four former lawmakers, including Hari Bairagi Dahal (from Sankhuwasabha-2), Kamala Ghimire (CA member elected under proportionate system) and Ram Lakhan Mahato (Dhanusa-5) from ruling NCP and Rameshwor Dhungel (Bhaktapur-2) from the main opposition Nepali Congress had passed away after the end of its fourth session. The lawmakers were remembered for their contribution to democracy.
Next session of the House of Representatives is scheduled for December 27.
Meanwhile, Lawmaker Dinanath Sharma asked for effective question-answer session in the House meeting today.
He appreciated the government for the achievements made in petroleum pipeline and airports. “Projects of national pride were moving ahead smoothly in our observation,” he added.
Sharma said that the government achieved remarkable success in some of the projects and others projects like Bheri-Babai were moving on smoothly.
NCP leader Sharma complained that the ministers were not attending their subject committee meetings and asked for the effective question answer session for the timely endorsement of the bills.
Surendra Raj Pandey from main opposition party, the Nepali Congress, said that the practice of ignoring opposition in the session would invite confrontation.
“Acts, bills and amendments should be drafted according to the spirit of the Constitution, but they are tabled forcefully, and we will not tolerate all that in this session,” he said.
Pandey asked the government to draft the bills related to Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) in time to receive the grants from America.
He also expressed commitment on behalf of the main opposition party to gaining Lipu Lek, Limpiyadhura and Kalapani in national territory. “We will not be divided into ruling and opposition parties on national issue and keeping our territory safe,” he added.
Lawmaker Brijeshchandra Lal and Pramila Kumari said they were not satisfied with the government.
The National Assembly also endorsed condolence message today. Next meeting of the NA is scheduled for 23 December.