Kathmandu: The government sponsored controversial citizenship bill has yet to get Royal approval.

Instantly after the bill was sent for the Royal approval at the Palace, scores of Nepali leaders indirectly hinted the constitutional monarch not to give his assent to the bill as they feared that if the bill received Royal sanction would facilitate alien nationals to easily acquire Nepali citizenship. Some leaders even accepted their blunder in having supported the government in getting the bill through the parliament.

Considering the popular sentiment perhaps, the constitutional monarch preferred to read the minds of various leaders of the Nepali political life prior to giving assent to the bill.

In the process King Birendra met with Madhav Nepal, S.B.Thapa, Bam Dev Gautam and NSP leader Gajendra Narayan Singh and a hosts of others as well.

What transpired between the King and the leaders who met the monarch regarding the citizenship bill is not known. But what is in Katmandu’s air is that the monarch presumably has decided not to offer his seal to the bill as per the supposed suggestions of a cross section of Nepal’s prominent leaders.

However, as per the constitution 1990, the monarch at best can return the bill for further consideration by the house. Ultimately the King is bound by the constitution to offer his assent to any such bills sent second time by the government for the monarch’s approval.

However, in this case the King deserves the right to seek advice of the apex court.

Likewise, the fate of the bill brought through the Royal Ordinance pertaining to the formation of the Armed Police Force too appears bleak.

The bill to get through needs the clearance from both houses of the parliament. However, since the congress lacks majority in the National Assembly, the bill in question is almost sure to go to the dogs.

Intellectuals opine that if the government sponsored bills get defeated one way or the other would embolden the opposition to the extent that they would summarily demand the resignation of the government.

Yet another embarrassment to the government indeed.