A dispute has arisen between the two institutions after the government reduced the number of officials of the Federal Parliament and the secretariat of the MPs, citing cost-cutting measures. The political and staff leadership of the Federal Parliament have met Prime Minister Sushila Karki and expressed their objections, saying that the government has unilaterally implemented the decision without coordination and consultation.

Speaker Devraj Ghimire, National Assembly Speaker Narayan Prasad Dahal, Deputy Speaker Indira Rana, National Assembly Vice-President Bimala Ghimire, General Secretary of the Parliament Padma Prasad Pandey, Secretary of the House of Representatives Harka Raj Rai and Secretariat Secretary Rojnath Pandey met Prime Minister Karki on Monday and expressed their objections to the government's decision. 

The Speaker and the Chair expressed their objections to the Prime Minister, saying that no one was consulted or asked for a single question when making a decision regarding the legislature, one of the three organs of the state. After listening to their words, Prime Minister Karki said that the proposal had come from the Ministry of Finance and that he would discuss the matter with Minister Rameshwor Khanal, Speaker Ghimire said.

Ghimire said that Finance Minister Khanal had replied that the decision had been made on the proposal of Law Ministry Secretary Parashwor Dhungana. He said that he would think about the next steps after what the Ministry of Finance would propose. Speaker Ghimire said that the decision taken without consultation regarding the parliament had exposed the government's attitude towards the parliament. 

The controversy began with the decision of the Cabinet meeting on 12 Kartik. On the proposal of the Ministry of Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs, the Cabinet had decided to reduce the remuneration and facilities of the officers and members of the Federal Parliament. ‘The number of posts in the secretariat of the officers and members of the Federal Parliament has been reduced,’ the decision of the Cabinet states. The government argues that this decision was made to control unnecessary expenses.

The government has taken away the personal facilities of the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives and the Vice President of the National Assembly, who are members of parliament and officials of the parliament, by changing the schedule of the Act on Remuneration and Facilities of the Officers and Members of the Federal Parliament, 2073. The government has amended the schedule of the Act on Remuneration and Facilities of the Officers and Members of the Federal Parliament, 2073. Section 25 of the said act provides that ‘the government shall amend the schedule in a manner that does not cause any inconvenience to the officers or members of the Federal Parliament and publish a notice in the Gazette’.

Based on the same legal provision, the government has amended Schedule 2 and 3 of the Act. The secretariat facilities of the Deputy Speaker and the Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly have been taken away, including the facility of one personal secretary each of the Deputy Secretary or the equivalent. The facilities of one computer operator, two drivers, two office assistants, as well as bodyguards and guards that they used to get remain intact. 

The facility of one branch officer-level employee that the MPs used to get has also been abolished. If this decision remains in effect, 275 MPs of the House of Representatives will not get the facility of a personal secretary. The facility of a personal secretary of 59 MPs of the National Assembly has also been taken away. The secretariats of the chairpersons of 16 parliamentary committees have also been reduced. The secretariats of the Speaker and the National Assembly have not been abolished. 

Parliament spokesperson Ekram Giri said that the government's decision will eliminate the personal secretaries of those other than the Speaker and the National Assembly Speaker. ‘The law that provided for each member of the federal parliament to be given a branch officer was removed. Out of the 275 members of the House of Representatives and 59 members of the National Assembly, the personal secretaries other than the Speaker and the Speaker would be removed. The personal secretaries of the Deputy Speaker, Vice Speaker, Chief Whip of the opposition party, and committee chairmen would be removed,’ Giri said, ‘This decision of the government will affect the performance management of the people’s representation and the MPs involved in lawmaking.’

Speaker Ghimire says that the interim government formed for the purpose of holding elections by deciding to cut staff including MPs’ personal secretaries without consultation is working to weaken the parliament. ‘Basically, this government is working on how to weaken the parliament, which is wrong,’ Ghimire said, ‘The House of Representatives has been dissolved, and the National Assembly exists. However, the government is deciding how to make it difficult to work, how to block it whether it is in accordance with the law or not.’

The executive, legislature and judiciary have their own autonomy. They have their own laws and jurisdictions for operation. ‘The constitution has also placed these in the principle of balance of power,’ said Speaker Ghimire, ‘However, that does not mean that one will go against the other, but rather that one will cooperate with the other, but the current government does not seem to understand this.’