Karnali Province Assembly Third Session Concludes without Passing Any Bills

The third session of the Karnali Province Assembly was prorogued at midnight on April 29, 2024, having held 11 meetings but without passing any significant legislation. Initially convened on March 13, expectations were high for the session to endorse a series of bills aimed at various developmental sectors within the province.

During this session, Chief Minister Yam Lal Kandel successfully secured a vote of confidence. However, due to a recent change in the government, the assembly was unable to progress on critical proposed bills, including those intended to amend the Province Sports Development Act of 2076, establish provisions for the Karnali Province Police Service, and address electricity provisions in Karnali Province for the year 2080.

These bills remain under review within the thematic committees of the assembly and were not tabled for debate or vote in the provincial legislature.

Province Chief Tilak Pariyar officially communicated the prorogation through a letter, which was subsequently read aloud by Speaker Nanda Gurung in accordance with Article 183 of the Constitution. This closure was finalized following a council of ministers’ meeting earlier this week.

The abrupt end of the session has raised concerns about the legislative productivity and future governance challenges in Karnali Province.