KATHMANDU: The Nepali Congress is set to convene a meeting of its lawmakers to move forward the process of selecting its parliamentary party leader.

According to the party’s election committee, discussions will be held with its MPs to finalize the leadership selection process.

The committee, formed specifically for this purpose, is coordinating consultations ahead of the decision.

Committee coordinator Prakash Rasaili Snehi confirmed that the meeting has been called to deliberate on the selection of the parliamentary party leader.

The meeting is scheduled for 3:00 PM at the party’s parliamentary office in Singha Durbar.

Several senior leaders have expressed interest in the post, including Arjun Narsingh KC, Bhishmaraj Angdembe, and Mohan Acharya, among others.

The meeting is expected to play a key role in shaping the party’s leadership direction in the federal parliament.

KATHMANDU: Speaker of the House of Representatives, Dol Prasad Aryal, has said preparations are underway to conduct the upcoming budget session more effectively and distinctly.

Speaking at an interaction program with journalists at Singha Durbar on Friday, Aryal emphasized his commitment to making parliamentary activities more transparent by broadcasting them live.

He stated that new parliamentary precedents may be necessary to meet the evolving needs of the country and society. “We are committed to making activities public through live broadcasts. We do not support hiding or concealing any matters,” Aryal said.

The Speaker also assured journalists of unhindered access to Parliament, pledging to expand media accessibility without restrictions.

Highlighting legislative reforms, Aryal stressed the importance of extensive consultations with stakeholders before drafting any bill.

He said discussions would be held multiple times to ensure inclusive and well-informed lawmaking.

Aryal further noted that efforts are ongoing to make the budget session more innovative, while also planning amendments to parliamentary regulations to ensure faster and more efficient lawmaking processes.

He reiterated that Parliament would move forward by setting new standards aligned with the country’s needs.

KATHMANDU: Prime Minister Balen Shah has initiated discussions with the Chief Ministers of all provinces in a landmark move aimed at strengthening federal coordination. This is he first collective meeting with provincial leaders since assuming office.

The meeting is currently underway at the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers’ Office in Singha Durbar.

According to the Prime Minister’s Secretariat, the discussions are focused on accelerating development projects, ensuring proper allocation and utilization of resources, and addressing key administrative and financial challenges faced by the provincial governments.

The meeting is also expected to explore ways to enhance cooperation between the federal and provincial governments for the effective implementation of national priority projects.

Officials said the engagement reflects the government’s commitment to improving intergovernmental coordination and speeding up development delivery across the country.

KATHMANDU: Lawmakers from the CPN-UML, Nepali Communist Party, and the Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) have filed nominations for the presidents of various parliamentary committees under the Federal Parliament on Thursday.

At the Federal Parliament Secretariat in Singha Durbar, the parties registered their candidates for the leadership of both House of Representatives’ thematic committees and joint committees.

From the CPN-UML, Guru Baral has filed his candidacy for the chairperson of the Education, Health and Information Technology Committee. His nomination was proposed by Nepali Congress MP Sita Thapaliya (Urmila).

Meanwhile, the Nepali Communist Party has fielded Madan Kumari Sah for the chairperson of the Joint Committee on Directive Principles, Policies and Responsibilities of the State. Her nomination was proposed and supported by Janakraj Joshi and Pushparaj Kandel.

The Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) has also entered the race strongly, filing nominations for 11 out of 12 committee chair positions in the House of Representatives and joint committees.

RSP candidates include Samikshya Baskota for the Law, Justice and Human Rights Committee, Ashok Kumar Chaudhary for Agriculture, Cooperatives and Natural Resources, Ashish Gajurel for Infrastructure Development, Aakriti Awasthi for Women and Social Affairs, Hari Dhakal for State Affairs and Good Governance, Ojashwi Sherchan for Education, Health and Information Technology, Krishnahari Budhathoki for Finance, Rahbar Ansari for Industry, Commerce, Labour and Consumer Welfare, and Sumnima Udas for International Relations and Tourism Committee.

For joint committees, Bodh Narayan Shrestha has been nominated for the Parliamentary Hearing Committee, while Ganesh Karki has filed his candidacy for the Committee on Monitoring and Evaluation of Directive Principles and State Responsibilities.

RSP has, however, decided to support the main opposition party, Nepali Congress, for the chairperson of the Public Accounts Committee.

Party leaders said the nominations were finalized during a parliamentary party meeting held earlier on Thursday, while members for the committees had already been selected previously.