HoR passes Nepal Police-Province Police coordination bill

The House of Representatives (HoR) has passed the 'Nepal Police and Province Police (Work Operation, Supervision and Coordination) First Amendment Bill, 2022.

The bill has made provisions for the Nepal Police to look after Kathmandu Valley's security in coordination with the Province Police.

Minister for Home Affairs Bal Krishna Khand had presented a proposal in the House seeking passage of the bill. The House passed the proposal unanimously.

An agreement was reached after clause-wise discussions on the bill in the State Affairs and Good Governance Committee that the Nepal Police shall look after the security in the Kathmandu Valley in coordination with the Province Police.

The HoR had held discussions on a report including this agreement.

Taking part in the discussions on the bill, Khagaraj Adhikari said the report has been prepared on agreement after extensive deliberations on the bill in the Committee and it has been presented in the HoR accordingly.

Mana Kumari GC stressed on the need of strengthening collaboration and co-existence for the implementation of federalism. She drew the Home Minister's attention towards the demand from the police to incorporate the provision of giving pension in 16 years.

Prem Suwal called attention, saying the amendment bill has been brought without the implementation of the related Act.

Bharat Kumar Shah and Yashoda Gurung Subedi were among the lawmakers participating in the debate over the bill.

Responding to lawmakers' questions before the passage of the bill in the HoR, Home Minister Khand said that Nepal Police and the Province Police were the security agencies formed for maintaining peace, security and good governance. He expressed the belief that the Police force would be able to face up challenges in regards to dealing with new types of crimes, searching for the accused and taking action against them.

He made it clear on the occasion that the bill has in no way made the Province Police weaker and the government was conscious towards the possibility of security challenges coming due to the internal and external causes.

Stating that although the concept of Metropolitan Police has been brought in Nepal, he said so far quasi-judicial authority has not been given to it. The Home Minister informed the House of the practice of giving the quasi-judicial powers to the Metropolitan Police in various countries and this could be followed in Nepal as well.

Informing the parliament that the State Affairs and Good Governance Committee has also passed the provision that the Nepal Police shall look after the security of the Kathmandu Valley in coordination with the Province Police, he opined that the Nepal Police going on pension after completing 16 and 18 years of service is positive. He added that necessary study is on in this connection.