CPN UML obstructs House meeting demanding investigation into alleged involvement of unauthorized persons in budget formulation

Kathmandu: The meeting of the House of Representatives has been put off until Wednesday after the main opposition CPN UML obstructed the house proceedings.

In the meeting, UML vice-chair and lawmaker Surendra Pandey sought time and drew the government’s attention to media reports accusing the Finance Minister of manipulating tax rates in collusion with unauthorized people before presenting it to the parliament.

The UML also demanded a parliamentary committee to investigate the case.

Recent media reports accused the Finance Minister of altering tax rates before the announcement of the budget for the fiscal year 2022-23 on May 29.

Earlier in the meeting today, House speaker Agni Prasad Sapkota allocated time to finance Minister Sharma to speak on the issues of public importance.

Then Finance Minister Sharma refuted the accusations adding that the budget was brought as per the established norms.

He clarified that the budget was prepared with the involvement of responsible officials of the ministry by forming various committees and the respective committees gave the final frame to the budget.

The finance minister also said the involvement of unauthorized persons could not even be imagined.