Proposal to Convene Joint Session of Parliament if Constitutional Amendment Bill Is Rejected by National Assembly

According to the summary of the news, the draft rules of the new House of Representatives propose a provision to convene a joint session of parliament if the National Assembly rejects the constitutional amendment bill. Legal expert Purnaman Shakya has stated that a joint meeting of the federal parliament cannot be held for such a bill, and that this arrangement would be unconstitutional. The draft committee chair Ganesh Parajuli presented the new rules report at the House of Representatives meeting on 28th Baishakh. Kathmandu, 11th Jestha.

If the constitutional amendment bill, which has been passed by the House of Representatives, is rejected by the National Assembly, the draft rules of the new House of Representatives include a legal provision for convening a joint session of parliament. At the House meeting on 28th Baishakh, draft committee chair Ganesh Parajuli presented the “House of Representatives Rules Committee Report 2083”. Rule 140 outlines the procedure for constitutional amendment bills. Sub-rule 11 states, “If a constitutional amendment bill passed by the House and sent to the National Assembly with a message receives a favorable vote of at least two-thirds of all the existing members in both houses, the Speaker shall certify it and forward it to the President for promulgation.”

This provision was not included in the House of Representatives Rules of 2079. Regarding the additional provision, draft committee member Madhu Chaulagain says, “This clause has been introduced to enable discussion through a joint session if the constitutional amendment bill is rejected by either house. Passing the bill with a two-thirds majority in the joint session is also a democratic approach.” He explained that this provision was included with the understanding that a joint session can be convened specifically for constitutional amendment bills.