President Ramchandra Paudel Faces Pressure Due to Government’s Ordinance Recommendations

After the government bypassed parliament and recommended five ordinances, President Ramchandra Paudel has come under pressure, particularly over the ordinance related to the Constitutional Council. Previously, President Paudel had returned the Constitutional Council Bill, citing provisions on majority decisions that conflicted with constitutional principles. The new ordinance stipulates decisions by a three-member body, leaving the President to approve or withhold based on constitutional and legal counsel. (16 Baisakh, Kathmandu)

The government’s simultaneous recommendation of five ordinances without seeking parliamentary approval has intensified pressure on President Ramchandra Paudel. While opposition parties have raised concerns about the bypassing of parliament, President Paudel now faces the challenge of dealing with the very Constitutional Council Bill that he had earlier returned, as it is being implemented through an ordinance.

The recommended ordinances are currently under the President’s review. Neither the President’s office nor the government has issued official statements regarding the ordinance details. However, sources indicate that the President feels the greatest pressure from the Constitutional Council ordinance. A source from the President’s office stated, “The government has placed the President in a moral dilemma by presenting as an ordinance the very matter on which the President had raised concerns and returned the bill.”