Kathmandu, August 19
The meeting of the House of Representatives has been delayed as a meeting of the Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) parliamentary party continued beyond its scheduled time on Wednesday.
RSP Chair Rabi Lamichhane is holding discussions with the party’s lawmakers and ministers on parliamentary decorum and conduct at the party’s parliamentary office in Singha Durbar.
Prime Minister Balendra Shah, who is also the RSP parliamentary party leader, did not attend the meeting.
The House of Representatives session was scheduled to begin at 1 pm but had not started as the RSP meeting was still underway.
Wednesday’s House agenda includes a proposal by Finance Minister Dr Swarnim Wagle to consider the Employees Provident Fund (10th Amendment) Bill, 2026.
Similarly, Youth, Labour and Employment Minister Ramji Yadav is scheduled to present a proposal seeking consideration of the Child Labour (Prohibition and Regulation) Bill, 2026.
RSP had ordered lawmakers to arrive on time
The delay is notable because the RSP parliamentary party had itself instructed its lawmakers several days ago to attend parliamentary meetings on time.
The party has introduced a Google Form through which lawmakers who fail to attend a House meeting on time must provide the reason for their absence and upload supporting evidence.
The form must also be filled out by lawmakers who arrive more than 30 minutes late to a scheduled parliamentary meeting.
RSP leaders say the system is intended to make lawmakers more accountable for their attendance and conduct in Parliament.
The party plans to maintain records not only of lawmakers who remain absent but also of those who attend a session and leave before it concludes.
The initiative is aimed at treating parliamentary attendance as a matter of responsibility and accountability rather than merely a matter of marking attendance.
Move comes after House meeting was adjourned for lack of quorum
The RSP’s new monitoring system was introduced against the backdrop of a recent House meeting being adjourned after failing to meet the required quorum.
The House meeting on August 11 was suspended after the required quorum was not met, delaying the process of advancing government legislation.
The RSP has 182 lawmakers in the House, making it the largest party in the governing side. The ruling side carries the primary responsibility for ensuring the smooth functioning of parliamentary business.
However, during the August 11 meeting, even the required quorum of 69 lawmakers was not reached when a proposal to consider a mining-related bill was put to a vote.
Against this backdrop, the RSP parliamentary party decided to introduce a Google Form to track lawmakers’ attendance and activities more closely.
Ironically, the party’s own meeting on Wednesday has now delayed the start of the House session.
Under the party’s own directive, RSP lawmakers who arrive late to Wednesday’s House meeting will have to fill out the form and explain the reason for their delay.
