The Speaker of the Bagmati Provincial Assembly has been charged with delaying the process of the no-confidence motion filed against Chief Minister Dormani Paudel.

Speaker Sanu Kumar Shrestha, who is considered to be close with Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli, postponed the assembly meeting scheduled for Monday to deliberate about the motion. Shrestha issued a notice on Sunday evening to postpone the Provincial Assembly Meeting to February 17. The assembly meeting called for Monday was scheduled to discuss the no-trust motion filed against CM Paudel.

The Dahal-Nepal group of the ruling Nepal Communist Party had registered the no-confidence motion against Paudel, a supporter of PM Oli, on December 25. As many as 45 provincial assembly members of the Dahal-Nepal faction filed the motion against Paudel.

As per Article 188 (4) of the constitution, one-fourth of the total number of assembly members may table in writing a motion of no-confidence against the chief minister. The motion will be endorsed if it is approved by majority members in the provincial assembly.

Various political parties vented their ire against Speaker Shrestha, as he decided to postpone the Provincial Assembly meeting ‘unilaterally’ without consulting with the deputy speaker and political parties in the assembly. They charged Speaker Shrestha of holding the Provincial Assembly hostage and working under the influence of the federal as well as the provincial governments.

“The provincial government is now in the minority. Regular assembly meetings should be held in this situation. The Speaker has breached the parliamentary norms and values, parliamentary ruling system and regulation of the Provincial Assembly,” said Ashtalaxmi Shakya, who was declared the parliamentary party leader of the Dahal-Nepal faction. She demanded that the assembly meeting be resumed immediately, as it was postponed without any reason.

The main opposition party, Nepali Congress, also opposed the Speaker’s decision to postpone the assembly meeting.

“The frequent postponement of the assembly meeting without any valid reason is against the parliamentary system and its principle. The assembly meeting should be called soon to decide the no-confidence motion through voting,” said Tsering Dorje Lama, the whip of the Nepali Congress.

The Bibeksheel Sajha Party has also criticised the Speaker’s move to postpone the scheduled Provincial Assembly meeting.

Meanwhile, assembly members close to the Dahal-Nepal faction chanted slogans on the premises of the Provincial Assembly building on Monday, demanding that the assembly meeting be summoned. Around 30 assembly members of the faction, including Shakya, Shalikram Jammakattel and Yuvaraj Dulal, were present on the occasion. They also organised a press meet and demanded the resignation of CM Paudel from his post, claiming that he failed to run the provincial government effectively and jeopardised the federal ruling system.