Nepal: Balendra Shah govt defers Parliament, opts for ordinances

The Balendra Shah government has deferred the session of the House of Representatives that was scheduled to begin Wednesday and decided to promulgate a series of ordinances, in a move that critics say undermines the role of Parliament.

Official sources said the government has already sent five ordinances to the President for approval in two phases, while the President’s Office is studying their implications.

The Rastriya Swatantra Party government (RSP), headed by Balendra Shah, commands an almost two-thirds majority in the 275-member House of Representatives but has no representation in the Upper House, which plays a key role in the passage of legislation, including constitutional amendments.