PHSC seeks Speaker's intervention on envoy nomination

KATHMANDU, July 17: Parliamentary Hearing Special Committee (PHSC) on Sunday decided to stall the hearing on the early nomination of Hari Kumar Shrestha as ambassador to Bangladesh after differences arose among PHSC members over clause 119 of the Constituent Assembly and Legislature Parliament Regulations.



The clause 119 of the Regulations clearly says that the cabinet can recommend parliamentary hearing for the appointmnet of envoys only after the existing ambassadorial position in question falls vacant´. The term of current Nepal´s ambassador to Bangladesh falls vacant only November 13, 2011.[break]



The PHSC meeting has formed a subcommittee comprising lawmakers Prem Bahadur Singh, Laxman Lal Karna and Laxman Prasad Ghimire to prepare and forward a to Speaker Nembang asking him to exercise his special prerogatives to resolve the legal complications seen in conducting parliamentary hearings.



With this development, it has now become certain that the hearing of ambassador-nominate Shrestha will not be conducted unless Speaker Nembang uses his rights to resolve the legal complication or the parliament amends clause 119 of the Regulations.



The meeting of the PHSC held at Singha Durbar also decided to draw the attention of CA Chairman Subas Nembang as several such hearings were conducted in the past for the appointment of ambassadors and Supreme Court justices following cabinet´s recommendation.



Earlier on Wednesday, the PHSC meeting was put off as Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Upendra Yadav failed to turn up at the meeting. Minister for Agriculture and Cooperative Hari Narayan Yadav, who also looked after Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Yadav´s absence, presented himself before the PHSC on Sunday for clarifications.



On issue of tax, the PHSC has upheld the cabinet decision made in the past to reimburse the tax amount paid by MoFA officials while serving in missions abroad directly through Finance Ministry. MoFA has been maintaining that envoy Khatiwada paid the tax amount without properly interpreting the decision.



During the PHSC meeting on Sunday, some lawmakers asked why Nepal´s ambassador to India Rukma SJB Rana was recalled before the completion of his term. Foreign Secretary Dr Madan Kumar Bhattarai, who was also present at the meeting, said that envoy Rana was recalled as per the directives of Parliamentary Committee on International Relations and Human Rights.

Related story

Media and ad agencies must collaborate to foster growth of adve...