Kathmandu, September 4
The State Affairs Committee of Parliament on Monday endorsed two bills related to elections of Provincial Assembly and federal House of Representatives after lawmakers withdrew amendment proposals which they had filed demanding that the provision barring convicts of criminal cases including corruption be dropped.
Now, both the bills will be tabled for discussions in the full House today. If the House passes the bills as they are, corruption convicts cannot contest any election for life.
Earlier, some Nepali Congress lawmakers had filed proposals for amendments demanding that corruption convicts and people who have already completed sentences for their crime be allowed to contest the polls after certain years. Consequently, the bills had been stuck for months.
NC leader Bimalendra Nidhi says the amendment proposals have been withdrawn as it is the responsibility of the party to head the country towards elections.
Election Commission has been demanding that the bill be passed from the House at the earliest to expedite preparations for the polls announced for November 26 and December 7.
