KATHMANDU, July 19: CPN-UML General Secretary Shankar Pokharel has accused the government of attempting to amend the Constitution and laws to serve its own interests, warning that legal reforms could be misused to strengthen state power.
Addressing a training program for UML lawmakers at the party’s central office in Chyasal, Pokharel said reports that the government plans to amend more than 150 laws in the current fiscal year had raised serious concerns about its intentions.
“Legal reforms are necessary from time to time. But we must seriously question whether the government’s proposed amendments are intended to improve the law or to facilitate its misuse,” he said.
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Pokharel warned that misuse of legal provisions could push the country’s governance toward authoritarianism.
He also criticized the government’s performance and took a swipe at Prime Minister Balen Shah’s leadership style. Referring to a power outage during the event, he questioned the government’s effectiveness.
“We are beginning this program while enduring disruptions in electricity supply under a prime minister who claims to do nothing but work. That itself reflects how the government is functioning,” he said.
Pokharel argued that although the government receives significant attention on social media and virtual platforms, it has failed to deliver results that people can feel in their daily lives. He said the government, which came to power with a strong public mandate, had created anxiety rather than confidence among citizens.
He stressed that UML lawmakers should play a stronger and more effective role in parliament by raising public concerns and holding the government accountable.
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