KATHMANDU: CPN (UML) General Secretary Shankar Pokharel has publicly criticized DP Aryal, Speaker of the House of Representatives, for failing to maintain neutrality.

In a Facebook post, Pokharel expressed strong dissatisfaction with the Speaker’s increasing tendency to directly debate opposition lawmakers and defend the government against parliamentary scrutiny.

Reminding the Speaker of his expected role, Pokharel emphasized that the Speaker should act strictly as a referee rather than stepping onto the field as a player, noting that debating and questioning are exclusively the duties of the elected Members of Parliament.