KATHMANDU: Nepal’s House of Representatives on Tuesday approved five out of six ordinances issued by the government when Parliament was not in session, despite objections from opposition parties. The ordinances will now be sent to the National Assembly for further discussion before being replaced by permanent legislation.

The approved ordinances include amendments to laws aimed at promoting good governance, improving the business environment, enhancing investment, and reforming economic and financial procedures. Lawmakers also passed an ordinance amending cooperative-related laws.

However, a contentious land-related ordinance, which faced strong opposition from Madhesh-based parties within the ruling coalition, has been set aside for further discussion. The Janata Samajbadi Party-Nepal (JSP-Nepal) and the Loktantrik Samajbadi Party (LSP) argued that the ordinance favored land brokers and enabled the illegal occupation of public lands. In response to the backlash, the government opted not to move forward with the ordinance at this stage.

Despite resistance from opposition parties, the ordinances passed with majority support, as the ruling coalition—led by the Nepali Congress and the CPN-UML—commands a majority in the lower house. The government is under pressure to have these ordinances approved before the legal deadline to avoid any legislative gaps.

The ordinances will now be debated in the National Assembly. If approved there, they will be replaced by formal bills. Meanwhile, the government is expected to hold further consultations on the land ordinance before reintroducing it in Parliament.