First-time Vote on Budget in Parliament, Passed by Majority
The House of Representatives (HoR) of the federal parliament voted for the budget for the first time.
On Wednesday, the Appropriation Bill for the fiscal year 2080-81 was put to a vote. The bill received 147 votes in favor, which constitutes a majority in the House of Representatives. This came after the major opposition party CPN-UML demanded a division of votes.
Former Secretary of the Parliament Secretariat, Som Bahadur Thapa, was quoted as saying that this is the first instance of voting on the appropriation bill in Nepal's history. Thapa was quoted as saying, "In the history of Nepal, there is a precedent for voting on the appropriation bill."
A total of 255 out of 275 members of the House of Representatives participated in the voting on Wednesday. Among them, 108 voted against the proposal to pass the Appropriation Bill.
Thapa explained that in the past, the practice of not requesting a division of votes was based on the belief that the ruling party held the majority.
"There was no demand for division of votes based on the belief that a government without a majority would not bring a budget," he was quoted as saying. "Even if the opposition party did not ask for division of votes, it would have occurred. However, it is the MP's right to demand division of votes."
When Speaker Devraj Ghimire was about to present the appropriation bill for a decision, UML whip Mahesh Kumar Bartaula requested a division of votes. He asked for a division of votes, stating that they believed there were more MPs in the House of Representatives who were against passing the budget than those in favor of it.
Rule 29 of the Rules of the House of Representatives 2079 stipulates the procedure for a division of votes. It states that if at least 28 members disagree with the speaker's announcement, the votes should be divided into 'yes,' 'no,' and 'not voting' categories.
According to this system, members who voted 'Yes,' 'No,' and 'No vote' entered the sub-chamber (Lobby) through different doors and signed the list in alphabetical order.
Subash Chandra Nemwang, Deputy Leader of the Parliamentary Party of CPN-UML and Chairman of the Constituent Assembly, was quoted as commenting that voting on the appropriation bill should be seen as a natural and normal occurrence. "Usually, a division of votes was not requested for the budget. This time the request has been made," he added. "This is a democratic exercise. It should be seen in this way."
The significance of requesting a split vote
CPN-UML leaders state that they requested a division of votes to demonstrate the level of support for the government among MPs.
During the voting on the Appropriation Bill, 147 MPs expressed their support for the government. This constitutes a majority in the 275-member House of Representatives. However, this number indicates that the government led by Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal 'Prachanda' is steadily losing support from MPs in Parliament, as quoted by UML whip Mahesh Bartaula.
"The support of only 147 MPs for the budget has portrayed a scenario of declining political and moral public opinion about the government, or the government gradually moving toward a minority position."
Prachanda assumed the role of Prime Minister on Poush 10, 2079, and obtained a vote of confidence in the House of Representatives on Poush 26. Prachanda received 268 votes in the initial vote of confidence. At that time, MPs from all parties in the parliament, except for Nemkipa and Rastriya Jan Morcha, who each had one seat, expressed their confidence in Prachanda.
Prachanda severed ties with the UML during the presidential and vice-presidential elections and formed an alliance with ten parties, including the Nepali Congress. In the second vote of confidence, Prime Minister Prachanda received 172 votes.
At that time, Prachanda was supported by his party, the Maoist Center, the Nepali Congress, the Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP), the Janata Samajwadi Party (Ja Sa Pa), the CPN United Socialist Party, the Janamat Party, the Loktantrik Samajwadi Party (Lo Sa Pa), the Nagarik Unmukti Party, and the Rastriya Jan Morcha.
Meanwhile, the Rastriya Swatantra Party, which withdrew its support for the government, voted against the appropriation bill on Wednesday. This marked the first time that the RSP voted against the official proposal of the current government led by Prachanda.
The Nepali Congress, the largest party in the House of Representatives, has 88 MPs. The second-largest party, CPN-UML, has 78 members, CPN-Maoists has 32 members, RSP has 21 members, RPP has 14 members, Ja Sa Pa has 12 members, CPN-Unified Socialists has 10 members, Janmat Party and Lo Sa Pa have four members each, and Nagarik Unmukti Party has three members. The Nepal Majdoor Kisan Party, Aam Janata Party, Rastriya Jan Morcha, and other small parties each have one seat.
(Disclaimer: The text is a translation from an original source. The consistency in statements and data has been maintained for accuracy.)
