Bikalpa an Alternative organized a Monthly Meeting program on “Understanding the Parliament” for bikalpa fellowship members on June 10, 2023 at the Hotel Shree Krishna Biratangar. The program objective was to provide a comprehensive understanding of Parliament’s function and importance and facilitate a discussion on the current role of Members of Parliament (MPs).The program commenced with a warm welcome address by Mr. Suman Rai, Program Coordinator of Bikalpa an Alternative. He introduced the guest speaker, Mr. Ganesh Lamsal, a Senior Journalist, who would shed light on the topic of Parliament. The participants could interact and become acquainted with the guest speaker after the introduction.
Mr. Ganesh Lamsal initiated the discussion by addressing the participants’ queries related to the topic. The participants raised questions concerning the function of the provincial Assembly government, the governance structure of the provincial Assembly government, and its operations. Mr. Lamsal emphasized the importance of understanding the politics and political system to comprehend the parliamentary system. He provided a brief historical context, mentioning that Nepal’s parliamentary system was established in the early 1950s after a series of events and popular movements led to the end of absolute monarchy.
Mr. Lamsal explained that following the promulgation of the new constitution in 2015, Nepal adopted a federal system, forming provincial governments in seven states. These provincial governments hold devolved powers and responsibilities separate from the federal government. Furthermore, he shared that Parliament is a legislative body representing the people in a democratic system of government. Its primary responsibilities include making laws, debating important issues, and overseeing the government’s actions. Mr. Lamsal highlighted the vital role played by parliaments in democratic governance, such as ensuring the representation of citizens’ interests, providing a platform for debate, and holding the government accountable. Additionally, he emphasized that parliaments discuss and pass laws, approve budgets, question government officials, and serve as a forum for addressing public concerns.
Mr. Lamsal also explained the structure of Parliament, which consists of two main committees: the parliamentary committees and the parliament meeting. The parliamentary committees assist in Parliament’s deliberation, discussion, and oversight functions. They provide a platform for members to engage with experts and stakeholders, contributing their input to the law-making process. These committees are often referred to as “Mini Parliament.” However, he pointed out that the effectiveness of parliamentary committees can be hindered by conflicts of interest among members.
During the discussion, Mr. Lamsal also provided insights into the structure of the Provincial Assembly Government. He mentioned the House of Speakers, Deputy House of Speakers, and Secretary as key components. The Speaker holds the power to decide who can speak in Parliament. Additionally, he explained that there are different departments within the Parliament, and bills can be registered from both the government’s and citizens’ sides. Bills reported by citizens are known as non-government bills.
Mr. Lamsal shared his own experience of learning and expressed the positive aspects of federalism. He highlighted how federalism provides opportunities for participation in governance in a constitutional democracy like Nepal. However, he also raised concerns regarding the active participation of citizens and the need for coordination between civil society and citizen participation.
