By A Staff Reporter
Kathmandu, Dec. 16: The meeting of Constitutional Council held Tuesday evening did not make any headway in appointing officials in the vacant posts of the constitutional bodies.
The meeting held at the Prime Minister’s Official Residence in Baluwatar hold discussions on filling up the vacancies in several constitutional bodies, including the Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA), Election Commission (EC), National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), National Women’s Commission (NWC) and National Dalit Commission among others.
Ganesh Timalsina, Chairman of the National Assembly and one of the members of the Constitutional Council, said, “The meeting today has started discussion over the longstanding vacancies at various constitutional bodies. However, no decision on appointments was made.”
Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli’s Press Advisor Surya Thapa said, “The meeting today was focused on the issues including the functions of the Constitutional Council and potential candidates for the vacant posts in several constitutional bodies.”
The meeting was attended by Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli, Chief Justice Cholendra Shumsher Rana and National Assembly Chairman Timilsina.
Other members of the Council, Speaker of the House of Representatives (HoR) Agni Sapkota and President of Nepali Congress Sher Bahadur Deuba, leader of the main opposition party in the House of Representatives, didn’t attend the meeting.
The meeting of the council was first called at 9:00 am today. However, the meeting was postponed for 5:00 pm today after the quorum could not be met. However, Deuba was present in the meeting in the morning. However, Speaker of the House of Representatives (HoR) did not show up at the earlier meeting
According to Sapkota’s press advisor Shreedhar Neupane, the Speaker didn’t attend the meeting because there was lack of coordination between the Chairman and Council’s members. The meeting was called without preparation and setting up agendas for the meeting, he added.
The meeting was also called earlier on Sunday. However, the meeting could not convene after two members, Deuba and Sapkota, were absent.
There are now 45 vacant posts in 13 constitutional bodies. Five positions, including chairpersons have remained vacant in National Human Rights Commission, National Women Commission, Dalit Commission, Indigenous Nationalities Commission and Inclusive Commission.
Similarly, the constitutional bodies like Commission for Investigation of Abuse of Authority and Election Commission are headless.
Prior to this, Prime Minister had called the Council’s meeting in October and November last year for three times.
But the meeting could not take place after NC President Deuba boycotted them.