The second meeting of the Interim Parliament began at the parliament building in Singha Durbar Wednesday afternoon.

The meeting, which was scheduled to start at 2:00 pm, started only at 4:00 pm as a meeting of the eight parties over the post of the Speaker was underway at the Prime Minister’s residence in Baluwatar.

Newly appointed Speaker of the Interim Parliament Subash Nemwang chairing the second sitting of the parliament after taking oath of office and secrecy on Wednesday, Jan 17 07. nepalnews.com/rh

Newly appointed Speaker of the Interim Parliament Subash Nemwang chairing the…
The second meeting unanimously elected Subash Chandra Nemwang, a CPN (UML) MP, as the Speaker of the Interim Parliament. Senior MP Bahadur Rai, who chaired the meeting, announced Nemwang’s election as the Speaker.

Krishna Bahadur Mahara, who leads the 83-member Maoist team in the interim legislature, had proposed Nemwang’s name to the post.

Nemwang took the oath of office and secrecy at the second meeting itself and assumed his office.

Earlier today, the eight parties had agreed to continue Nemwang and Chitra Lekha Yadav as the Speaker and Deputy Speaker of the Interim Parliament. Both held same positions in the reinstated House of Representatives, which has been replaced by the 330-member Interim Parliament.

The Interim Parliament first convened on Monday had ratified the Interim Constitution 2063.

MPs wish Nemwang for a successful tenure

After he was unanimously chosen to the position of Speaker of the interim parliament, the members of parliament belonging to various political parties have wished Nemwang for a successful tenure.

“The country today is moving ahead in the path of political understanding. The interim parliament, too, will have to follow this mode,” said Dev Gurung, a senior Maoist MP. “Our party wishes for successful tenure of the Speaker.”

Gurung added that the interim parliament should play an “effective role” to build new Nepal. He said in the past the parliament had only served as the “meeting place for meaningless debates.”

The Unified Marxist Leninist (UML) senior leader Bharat Mohan Adhikary expressed confidence that Nemwang will be able to fulfill his duty in this important transitional phase. “You had demonstrated your skill for cooperation and coordination in the past,” Adhikary said, adding. “This skill will be further required in this interim parliament where all political forces in the country are represented.”

Bimalendra Nidhi, the general secretary of Nepali Congress (Democratic), said that the responsibility of the Speaker had increased in the interim parliament. “The main job before us is to successfully hold Constituent Assembly elections and restructure the state,” Nidhi said.

Likewise, Sushil Koirala, vice president of Nepali Congress; Gobinda Bikram Shah of Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP); Rajendra Mahato of Nepal Sadbhavana Party (Anandidevi) and Lilamani Pokharel of People’s Front also congratulated Nemwang and wished for fruitful tenure ahead.