Playing truant - Nepali Times

From The Nepali Press
Playing truant
Khagendra Panta in Naya Patrika, 1 September

FROM ISSUE #467 (04 SEPT 2009 - 10 SEPT 2009) | TABLE OF CONTENTS

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WRITE TO EDITOR

MIN RATNA BAJRACHARYA
The interim constitution clearly states that if any CA member is absent from 10 consecutive meetings without giving notice to the assembly, he or she will be expelled. To date, a total of 57 CA meetings have taken place. Despite constant reminders from the CA Chairman Subash Nembang, most senior politicians are guilty of having neglected the parliamentary duties for which they were elected. Attendance is negligible on the part of most:

CA member	Number of days present
Girija Prasad Koirala (NC) 0 (Though he attended three meetings, Koirala did not sign the attendance book)	0
Pushpa Kamal Dahal (CPN-Maoist)	4
Madhav Kumar Nepal (UML)	3
Jhala Nath Khanal (UML)	13
Sher Bahadur Deuba (NC)	2
Bijay Kumar Gachhadar (MJF-Democratic)	12
Mahant Thakur (TMLP)	15
Upendra Yadav (MJF)	12
Rajendra Mahato (Sadbhawana)	10
Baburam Bhattarai (CPN-Maoist)	9
Ram Bahadur Thapa (CPN-Maoist)	7

Apart from these leaders, a dozen more CA members risk being expelled from the assembly. Constitutionally speaking, they already have been.