Delay in House of Representatives meeting amid calls for Home Minister’s resignation

June 3, Kathmandu: The Federal Parliament’s House of Representatives meeting, scheduled for 11 a.m. on Tuesday, could not proceed due to ongoing disputes over the visit visa scam, with opposition parties demanding the resignation of Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak.

Speaker Devraj Ghimire held separate consultations with key figures from both opposition and ruling parties to resolve the parliamentary deadlock. According to Shekhar Adhikari, the Speaker’s press advisor, Ghimire discussed the issue with Hitraj Pandey, Chief Whip of the main opposition CPN (Maoist Centre), followed by talks with Mahesh Bartaula, Chief Whip of CPN (UML), and Shyam Kumar Ghimire, Chief Whip of Nepali Congress.

Ahead of the scheduled HoR and National Assembly meetings, opposition parties convened at the Parliament Building in New Baneshwar. The meeting, held in the office of CPN (Maoist Centre) Chairman and opposition leader Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda,’ included leaders from CPN (Maoist Centre), Rastriya Swatantra Party, CPN (Unified Socialist), Nepal Socialist Party, and others.

Opposition parties have maintained their stance of obstructing parliamentary proceedings until Home Minister Lekhak resigns over the visit visa scam. Meanwhile, ruling parties continue to assert that Lekhak’s resignation is unnecessary.