- Wednesday, 22 April 2026
Kathmandu, Nepal, April 22: A new draft of the House of Representatives rules proposes strict timelines for resolving impeachment motions, aiming to prevent such cases from lingering across parliamentary terms.
The proposal, included in the House Rules 2083 (2026) draft report, requires any unresolved impeachment motion at the end of a parliamentary term to be carried forward as a formal record to the newly elected House. The incoming House must receive such records within five months of its गठन and reach a final decision within the next five months, creating a maximum 10-month deadline for completion.
The Rules Draft Committee submitted the report to Dol Prasad Aryal on Tuesday. Officials say the changes are intended to close procedural gaps that have previously allowed politically sensitive motions to remain undecided for long periods.
The need for reform has been underscored by the unresolved impeachment motion against former Chief Justice Cholendra Shamsher JBR during the 2074 parliamentary term. Although the motion remains on record, no final decision has been reached. A similar provision introduced in the 2079 rules allowed motions to be carried forward but failed to ensure resolution.
Under the new draft, even motions processed through fast-track procedures but left undecided will not lapse with the dissolution of Parliament. Instead, they will carry over to the next House under mandatory timelines.
The draft also introduces broader procedural and definitional reforms. It formally defines unparliamentary language, including expressions that are offensive, discriminatory, obscene, or against public morality. The definition is expanded to include remarks that demean individuals or groups based on caste, religion, language, gender, or geography.
Additionally, the draft provides a clear legal definition of delegated legislation, covering regulations, orders, by-laws, guidelines, procedures, standards, and formation orders issued under authority delegated by Parliament.
It further proposes granting parliamentary rules the status of special legislation, strengthening their legal standing within the federal system. At the same time, it removes certain provisions related to internal committees, including the Women’s Coordination Committee, and restructures administrative arrangements within the House.
Other changes include extending the notice period for introducing bills to allow more time for scrutiny, and reducing the review period for assessing law implementation from three years to two years to improve legislative oversight.
Overall, the draft reflects efforts to strengthen parliamentary accountability, improve efficiency in handling sensitive matters, and modernise legislative practices. If adopted, the new rules could significantly reshape how the House manages impeachment cases, lawmaking processes, and internal governance in the coming parliamentary term. Nepal
