KATHMANDU, April 3: Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) Vice Chairperson Dol Prasad Aryal has been proposed as the lone candidate for Speaker, with the House of Representatives set to formally elect him during its meeting on April 5.
After his nomination on Friday, the Parliament Secretariat informed that the House meeting scheduled for 11:00 am on Sunday will formally elect Aryal to the post.
Aryal is expected to resign from his party position before assuming a neutral role as Speaker.
Although he was earlier considered for the role of Home Minister, the ruling party ultimately nominated him for Speaker.
In Nepal’s order of precedence, the Speaker ranks fifth, after the president, vice president, prime minister and chief justice.
The Speaker is responsible for conducting House proceedings, maintaining order and ensuring parliamentary rules are followed.
Following the March 5 House of Representatives election, in which the RSP secured a near two-thirds majority, the party’s parliamentary meeting on Thursday unanimously endorsed Aryal as its candidate for Speaker.
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From restaurant worker to Speaker
Aryal was born in 2032 BS (1975 AD) in the then Maidi Village Development Committee, now Jwalamukhi Rural Municipality of Dhading, to Bojraj Aryal and Gunmaya Aryal.
He moved to Kathmandu in 2049 BS (1992 AD) in search of opportunities and began a job as a worker in a restaurant. He later rose to become the CEO of EasyLink Remittance.
In 2053 BS (1996 AD), Aryal went to Japan for foreign employment, where he worked for about eight years. Upon returning, he invested in Nepal’s tourism, education and remittance sectors.
His business ventures include Sumire Tours and Travels, Yokohama Japanese Language Academy, HEMS School, Jansagar Savings and Credit Cooperative and EasyLink Remittance. Through these enterprises, he contributed to employment generation and foreign currency inflows.
Aryal has also been involved in social work, including helping establish Raskot Community Hospital in Kalikot and participating in relief efforts during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Political journey
Aryal has been associated with the Rastriya Swatantra Party since its formation on July 1, 2022. He ranked third among its central members at the time of registration.
He was elected as a proportional representation lawmaker in the previous election and later won from Kathmandu-9 in the recent polls, securing 35,093 votes. His nearest rivals, Nanumaya Bastola of the Nepali Congress and Ajaykranti Shakya of CPN-UML, received 5,460 and 4,580 votes respectively.
Aryal has served twice as Minister for Labour, Employment and Social Security. His first tenure in January 2023 lasted 22 days after the party withdrew from government following a Supreme Court verdict involving party chair Rabi Lamichhane. He later returned to the same ministry.
During Lamichhane’s absence, Aryal also served as acting chairperson of the party.
Duties of the Speaker
The Speaker’s constitutional and legal responsibilities include presiding over meetings of the House of Representatives and ensuring that proceedings are conducted in an orderly manner in accordance with established rules. The Speaker also plays a key role in setting the daily agenda and determining the schedule of House sessions in consultation with the relevant committees.
In addition, the Speaker is responsible for maintaining discipline within the House, enforcing parliamentary procedures and ensuring decorum during deliberations. While remaining neutral in decision-making, the Speaker does not ordinarily vote but exercises a casting vote in the event of a tie.
The Speaker also certifies bills passed by Parliament before forwarding them to the President for authentication. Furthermore, the position carries oversight responsibility for parliamentary committees and the Parliament Secretariat, ensuring their effective functioning.
With the RSP commanding a strong majority in the House with 182 out of 275 seats, Aryal is expected to play a key role in steering parliamentary proceedings in the coming years.
