KATHMANDU, April 6: Following the election of the Speaker of the federal parliament’s House of Representatives (HoR), attention has now shifted to which opposition party will secure the Deputy Speaker’s post.
Dol Prasad Aryal of the ruling Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP), which commands nearly a two-thirds majority in the House, has been elected Speaker unopposed. With 181 lawmakers (excluding the Speaker), the RSP holds decisive leverage, making its support crucial in determining the Deputy Speaker.
As per Article 91(1) of the Constitution, both the Speaker and Deputy Speaker must be elected within 15 days of the first meeting of parliament. Since the session began on April 2, the Deputy Speaker must be elected by April 17.
The Constitution also requires that the Speaker and Deputy Speaker be from different parties and genders if multiple parties are represented in the parliament. With a male Speaker already elected, the Deputy Speaker must be a woman from an opposition party—effectively making the RSP a kingmaker in the process.
Salaries and allowances of Speaker, Deputy Speaker withheld unt...
Several opposition parties—including Nepali Congress (NC), Nepali Communist Party (NCP), Shram Sanskriti Party and Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP)—have publicly staked claims to the post. NC leaders argue that the position should naturally go to the main opposition, in line with constitutional spirit and parliamentary norms. The party has already reached out to the RSP leadership, though no positive response has been received so far.
Leaders from other parties have echoed similar claims. NCP lawmaker Barshaman Pun said consultations are ongoing, while Shram Sanskriti Party Chair Harka Sampang and RPP parliamentary leader Gyanendra Shahi have also asserted their parties’ candidacies. CPN-UML, however, has yet to make a formal claim.
Opposition parties, which refrained from fielding a candidate against Aryal to ensure his smooth election, are now intensifying efforts to secure the RSP’s backing.
RSP leaders say a decision will be made after consultations with all political forces.
Within the RSP, differing views have emerged. Prime Minister Balen Shah is said to favour the Shram Sanskriti Party, while party Chair Rabi Lamichhane is reportedly inclined toward the RPP. Speaker Aryal, meanwhile, is believed to prefer backing a traditional party to maintain balance in the HoR and facilitate constitutional processes.
The stakes are heightened by the Deputy Speaker’s role in the Constitutional Council, which recommends appointments to key constitutional bodies including the Chief Justice. The council, chaired by the Prime Minister, requires majority backing for decisions, making the Deputy Speaker a strategically significant position.
Given the current arithmetic, RSP leaders indicate that the Deputy Speaker is more likely to come from either the Shram Sanskriti Party or the RPP.
Meanwhile, in the National Assembly—where the RSP has no representation—major parties including NC, UML, NCP and JSP-Nepal have already reached a power-sharing agreement. In contrast, the race for Deputy Speaker in the HoR remains open, with opposition parties competing for the RSP’s decisive support.
