The post of chairman of social development and agriculture committee of Gandaki state assembly has been vacant for 11 months. At the beginning of the selection of the Chairman, the rules of the Provincial Assembly became an obstacle, but after the amendment, the parties have not been able to agree on the division of shares.

Since Nepal Samajwadi Party (NESPA) leader Phanindra Devkota, who is a member of the Maoist parliamentary party, became a minister on May 30 last year, the chairmanship of the committee has been vacant. Agriculture and Accounts Committee has not reached an agreement between the UML and the Maoists on who will take over. Currently Sudhir Kumar Paudel of UML is the chairman of the audit committee.

UML has demanded to leave the Audit Committee but instead to form a Privileges Committee as provided by Article 187 of the Constitution. UML has a plan to make one of its parliamentarians the president. UML is ready to give an audit committee to the Maoists if they get a privileged committee.

The Maoists are of the position that they should not increase expenses by forming a privilege committee, they need an accounting committee. Maoist Parliamentary Party leader Hari Bahadur Chuman complains that Congress and UML have not shown any interest despite the demand for an audit committee. He said that no information has been received from the ruling party regarding the issue of providing a public accounting committee and that there is no problem in providing the committee. "We have asked for an audit committee as we are opposition parties. What is the problem with giving a public accounting committee? I have to say that it was difficult. That will come off," he said.

He said that since the government has abolished the Lake Authority, Dairy Development Board and Science and Technology Institute in order to reduce the expenditure, it should not increase the expenditure again. The government canceled 3 structures in Baisakh.

Gandaki Provincial Assembly Rules 2080 to elect the chairman have been amended after 7 months. For once, the regulations that removed the obstacles by providing that the chairman can be elected within a month were passed by the parliament on March 26. There is a provision that the election should be held within 15 days of the chairman becoming vacant, but for one time, there is a provision that the election should be held within 30 days. The regulation has been verified and published in the provincial gazette on May 25. The Chairman should be elected by May 25. If it is not formed by that time, the arrangement made by removing obstacles will be inactive.

Since chairman Devkota became a minister, the meeting of the committee has been chaired by senior member Mahendra Dhwaj Ji. Last June, after the issue of government formation reached the Supreme Court, the election of the chairman of the parliamentary committee could not be held on time. The action taken by the Maoists against Devkota was annulled by the Supreme Court. After the dispute was resolved by the Supreme Court, on June 16, Devkota, a member of the Nepal Samajwadi Party, became a minister for the second time. After that, the provision of 15 days in the rules for electing the chairman had expired. Then, a 4-member revision draft committee was formed on August 26 last year to revise the regulations. The revised regulations brought by the said committee to remove the obstacles are currently being implemented.

Congress chief whip Nanda Prasad Neupane says that this issue should be resolved between UML and Maoists as there is no problem in their part of the committee. He said that the Congress has no objection to give the audit committee to the Maoists. "There is no talk in the committee led by the Congress. It is the claim of Maoists in the audit committee led by UML," he said. He questioned the role of Speaker Krishna Prasad Dhital. He said that although the Speaker should take initiative, he did not do enough. The Speaker has to take the initiative in the Parliament. It is the Speaker's job to take the initiative and reach an agreement. It was not enough to try as much as it should have done," he said.

Speaker Dhital says that he is waiting for an agreement between the parties as there is still time left. He said that the election schedule will be announced within June 25 if the party does not agree on the committee. He is not in favor of setting up a Privileges Committee immediately. Article 187 of the Constitution stipulates that no action shall be taken against anyone based on the opinion expressed in the Provincial Assembly, no action shall be taken against any person for publishing any document, report, vote or action under the authority of the Assembly, no decision shall be taken regarding the activities of the Provincial Assembly under the Constitution, no publication or broadcast of any matter spoken by anyone in a misleading manner. 

Privileges Committee has the right to investigate these arrangements given by the constitution. Speaker Dhital says that there is no immediate need for this committee in the provincial assembly. After making the chairman, services and facilities should be provided. It has not been possible to deliver it to everyone," he said. "The committee does not seem to be very necessary. UML parliamentary party leader Khagraj Adhikari claims that there was no agreement on the formation of the committee because the Maoists agreed on one thing and another outside. "It was stopped because of the Maoists. The vacant committee agreed in the meeting of the three parties that let's go this way. He went out and said, "We don't accept that," he said. He did not want to say anything about the UML's opinion on the formation of the Privileges Committee.

Out of the 4 Gandaki State Assembly, the Economic Development Committee and the State Affairs and Law Committee are led by the Congress. UML does not want to leave the audit committee of its leadership. Maoist leader Chuman had said that a committee should be found no matter what. At that time, the ruling party informed that it would provide an agricultural committee. After the demand for an audit committee became stronger in the parliamentary party, the Maoists took the position that they need an audit committee. If the audit committee is needed, UML has demanded that the chairman of the privilege committee should be given. The Congress is also in favor of not forming the Privileges Committee immediately.