Kathmandu – August 2, 2025
Tensions have escalated between ruling coalition partners Nepali Congress and CPN-UML over five major bills under parliamentary discussion. The two parties have publicly clashed, accusing each other of bad faith and stalling legislation.
The most contentious are the Land Bill and School Education Bill. UML accuses Congress of deliberately blocking the bills, while Congress claims the bills contain hasty and problematic provisions that need further debate. The Land Bill, which seeks to revise existing laws on land ceiling, informal settlements, and forest land usage, has drawn criticism from Congress for potentially encouraging misuse and weakening land regulation.
The School Education Bill, though ready for passage, was halted last minute by Congress over disagreements about the recruitment and evaluation of temporary teachers. The delay was influenced by lobbying from the teachers’ union.
Additional disputes remain unresolved on:
The Civil Service Bill, particularly over removing a two-year cooling-off period for retired bureaucrats before reappointment,
The Constitutional Council Bill, which was returned by the President for review, and
The CIAA (anti-corruption) Bill, which remains stalled over disagreement on defining policy-level corruption.
The ongoing disagreements have spilled beyond Parliament, sparking debates on social media and raising concerns about the stability of the coalition government.
