Newly elected lawmakers along with the general public have protested the government move to introduce an ordinance to amend the Criminal Code 2017 to grant clemency to the leaders and cadres of three parties imprisoned in criminal cases.
A cabinet meeting held at Baluwatar on Sunday decided to introduce an ordinance to facilitate inclusion of Nagarik Unmukti Party that won three House of Representatives (HoR) seats under the First-Past-The-Post (FPTP) electoral system and the CK Raut-led Janamat Party, now recognized as a national party, in the next government.
Nagarik Unmukti Party founder Resham Chaudhary has been languishing in Dillibazar prision under criminal charge, and several cadres of the Unmukti Party and the Janamat Party are also behind bars.
Nepali Congress General Secretary and newly elected HoR member Bishwa Prakash Sharma dubbed the government's move wrong.
"Let my disagreement be publicly lodged", Sharma tweeted Sunday night, mentioning the Prime Minister, "It is wrong not to discuss bringing an ordinance during transition with political parties and own party. The move also raises ethical questions besides legal and political."
Similarly, another HoR elected lawmaker Ravi Lamichhane, who is also chairman of the Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RSP), alleged that the government had violated the rights of the new parliament by deciding to introduce an ordinance.
"What was such emergency that could not wait for the next couple of weeks," Lamichhane tweeted, "This ordinance must be withdrawn immediately as it violates the new mandate and attempts to encroach upon the rights of the new parliament. This move is the height of political shamelessness."
Likewise, CPN (UML) Deputy Chief of Publicity Department Bishnu Rijal also criticized Prime Minister Deuba for the move.
