KATHMANDU: Speaker Devaraj Ghimire has urged the political parties in parliament to establish party consensus through dialogue and cooperation, uphold the dignity of the parliament, and move forward united to address public expectations.

On the occasion of Parliament Day, he issued a congratulatory message on Monday, expressing gratitude for the contributions of the independent press, civil society, and aware citizens toward making the parliament more effective, responsible, and accountable to the people.

Marking the historic occasion of Parliament Day, he paid heartfelt tribute to the martyrs who sacrificed their lives in the movement for parliamentary democracy and recalled the contributions of political warriors.

Parliament Day is observed every year on Ashad 16 (around late June/early July) to commemorate the first meeting of Nepal’s elected House of Representatives.

According to Speaker Ghimire, it is also a day to remember democracy, constitutionalism, people’s rights, and the responsibility of representatives toward the people.

Speaker Ghimire emphasized that the parliament is a key institution where the sovereign power of the people is exercised and stated that the true spirit of democracy lies in the participation of the people.

His message said, “Important functions such as policy-making, law-making, and effective monitoring of implementation within the governance system are carried out through the parliament. Through its procedural rules, parliament ensures policies and laws in accordance with the will of the people.”

He also highlighted the democratic principle that no taxes can be levied without the consent of the people, noting that the constitution mandates all tax proposals must be presented in the assembly.

The Speaker further stated that the fundamental essence of the democratic governance system is dialogue, cooperation, and consensus.