Kathmandu, June 5: The main opposition in parliament Tuesday issued a statement expressing “reservation” on the formation of a three member probe commission to investigate a carnage at the Royal Palace Friday evening in which King Birendra, Queen Aishwarya, King Dipendra and seven other royal family members or relatives were killed.

King Gyanendra announced the formation of the Commission Monday in an address to the nation and asked it to report within three days; the
new King promised he would make public the results of the probe. “We have reservations. The Commission should have been established through a cabinet decision and directive,” party spokesman Pradip Nepal said.

“The Commission should have been established through constitution
procedure and existing law.” Commission Chairman Chief Justice Keshab Prasad Upadhaya, Speaker of the House of Representatives Taranath Ranabhatt and leader of the main opposition in parliament Madav Nepal met for the first time Tuesday and discussed the issue with constitutional and legal experts, Pradip Nepal said. Other members of the Commission were not available for immediate comment.

Madav Nepal issued a statement on the behalf of the party steering committee which also met Tuesday under his chairmanship. The Commission was announced after demonstrators demanded a
probe into the killers of the royal family members as they went on a rampage on the streets of the
capital and neighbouring Lalitpur where a curfew has been slapped for the second consecutive day to quell the violence; similar protests have been reported from other parts of the country.

Agitators claimed a conspiracy behind the killings. “We disagree with the procedure in which it was formed,” Madav Nepal said. The entire family of King Birendra was killed in the massacre; power has now been transferred to the brother of King Birendra. The implication is that the commission should have been formed by the government and not the King who is a constitutional monarch.