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Nepal fails to pass three crucial bills amid political uncertainty

Xinhua, July 14, 2016 Adjust font size:

Nepalese parliament failed to pass three vital bills to implement the budget for the next fiscal year 2016-17 amid dispute among the political parties in the context of CPN (Maoist Center) pulling out of the government.

After exiting the government led by Prime Minister K.P. Sharma Oli on Tuesday, CPN (Maoist Center) built an alliance with main opposition- Nepali Congress (NC) and jointly tabled a no-confidence motion against the government on Wednesday.

The parliament has already passed the Appropriation Bill authorizing the government to spend allocated budget for next fiscal year which begins in mid-July.

But, three bills-- the financial bill, the bill on raising public debt and loan, as well as the guarantee bill, which allow the government to raise taxes and borrow domestic and foreign loans, have not been passed yet.

The Nepalese government officials said that delay in passing Financial Bill would not immediately deprive the government of the authority to raise tax because another law-- Collective Tax Recovery Act 2012 authorizes the government to collect tax until this bill is passed.

"We have already issued notice in Nepal Gazette to implement tax related provisions for next fiscal year," said Revenue Secretary Rajan Khanal.

However, internal loans cannot be raised without bill on raising public debt. But, Nepal usually raises the internal loans in the latter months of the fiscal year when resources collected from revenue and foreign grants and loans become inadequate. So,officials believe it will not affect the plans to raise internal loans.

On Wednesday, lawmakers from NC and CPN (Maoist Centre) opposed passing these bills although all parties had agreed to pass these bills on Wednesday's meeting of parliament.

They said that they could not cooperate with the government to pass the bills as the Prime Minister Oli didn't resign despite falling into minority following the exit of the Maoist Centre from the government. Endit