The ongoing bid to remove Deputy Speaker India Rana from her post is likely to hit a snag after the possibility of garnering signatures of a two-thirds majority of members of Parliament (MPs) is very slim.
There are 163 lawmakers in the ruling parties – Nepali Congress and CPN (UML). Signatures of 183 lawmakers are required for the two-thirds majority.
The votes of ruling parties -- Janamat Party, Nagarik Unmukti Party, and Janata Samajbadi Party – are also necessary to make up a two-thirds majority in the parliament. However, they have not come up with an official decision on this issue. This is another reason why the process of registering a proposal to remove Rana is getting delayed.
The process of removing Deputy Speaker Rana started on September 10 with the NC-UML lawmakers launching a signature collection campaign. These two parties had also directed their lawmakers to be present in Kathmandu by September 14 and not leave the Valley until September 19.
Further, the NC lawmakers are also divided over the issue of removing Rana. The Koirala faction has been saying that the removal of the Deputy Speaker without following due process will send a negative message across the political spectrum.
According to a lawmaker, the removal proposal will be registered only after gathering strong evidence including an inquiry into those for whom Deputy Speaker Rana allegedly wrote a letter to the US Embassy for arranging a visa interview in exchange for money.
"A removal proposal will be registered against Rana. But, before this, the Central Investigation Bureau (CIB) of Nepal Police will inquire into those to whom Rana allegedly wrote a letter to the US Embassy for arranging for a visa interview in exchange for money," the lawmaker said, "If no evidence is found, the game is over. If proven guilty, she should be brought under investigation radar."
The State Affairs Committee of the House of Representatives is making preparations to write a letter to the CIB to this effect. "The removal proposal will be more compelling if handled in line with the due process," said the lawmaker.
It takes at least a week to begin the process, according to Speaker Devraj Ghimire. The Dashain festival is on the offing. On the other hand, the Prime Minister is leaving for America on September 20. There is a little time left to take the process forward, the lawmaker said. "The Shekhar Koirala faction is against the removal of Rana. Nepali Congress President Sher Bahadur Deuba is also in a mood to move ahead by taking all sides into confidence. Hence, the process is unlikely to move ahead, immediately."
However, the signature collection campaign has been ongoing for the last three days.
A letter written on her letterhead by Deputy Speaker Rana to the US Embassy requesting the latter to arrange time for a visa interview had been leaked.
After one and a half months, the ruling alliance, especially NC and UML, demanded Rana's resignation stating that her conduct was against the 'national interest' and that it lowered the dignity of her post.
However, Deputy Speaker Rana is not in the mood to tender her resignation immediately. CPN (Maoist Center), Rastriya Swatantra Party, Rastriya Prajatantra Party are in her support. They have been accusing the NC-UML of trying to remove Rana to muster a majority in the Constitutional Council.
