ARTICLE 68 Procedure for Introducing a Bill:
(1) A Bill may be introduced in either House of Parliament:
Provided that a Finance Bill shall be introduced only in the House of Representatives.
(2) A Finance Bill or a Bill concerning the Royal Nepal Army or the Armed Police Force shall be introduced only as a Government Bill. Any amendment to such Bill may be introduced only upon the prior approval of His Majesty. Such approval shall be obtained through the person chairing the House.
(3 ) "Finance Bill" means a Bill concerning any or all of the following subjects:
- the imposition, collection, abolition, remission, alteration or regulation of taxes;
- the preservation of the Consolidated Fund or any other Government Fund, the deposit of moneys into and the appropriation or the withdrawal of moneys from such Funds, or the reduction, increment or cancellation of appropriations or of proposed expenditures from such Funds;
- the regulation of - matters relating to the raising of loans or the giving of guarantees by His Majesty's Government, or any matter pertaining to amendment of the laws concerning the financial liabilities undertaken or to be undertaken by His Majesty's Government;
- the custody and investment of all revenues received by any Government Fund, moneys acquired through the repayment of loans, and grant moneys; or audits of the accounts of His Majesty's Government; or
- matters directly related to the above subjects.
(4) If any question arises whether a Bill is a Finance Bill or not, the decision of the Speaker shall be final.
ARTICLE 69. Procedure for Passage of Bills:
(1) A Bill passed by one House of Parliament shall be transmitted to the other House as soon as possible and such Bill, if passed by the receiving House, shall be presented to His Majesty for assent.
( 2 ) A Finance Bill passed by the House of Representatives shall be transmitted to the National Assembly. The National Assembly shall, after deliberations on such a Bill, send back the Bill to the House. of Representatives within fifteen days from the date of receipt of the Bill with recommendations, if any.
(3 ) The House of Representatives shall, upon deliberations on a Bill returned with recommendations pursuant to clause (2), present it to His Majesty for assent along with such recommendations as it may deem appropriate.
(4) If the National Assembly does not return a Bill received pursuant to clause (2) for more than fifteen days, the House of Representatives may present the Bill to His Majesty for assent.
(5) Any Bill, except for a Finance Bill, passed by the House of Representatives and transmitted to the National Assembly shall be sent back with approval or recommendations within two months from the date of receipt. If the National Assembly does not return the Bill within that period, the House of Representatives may, by a resolution passed by a majority of more than fifty percent of the sitting members, present the Bill to His Majesty for assent.
(6) If any Bill passed by one House is rejected or is passed with amendments by the other House, the Bill shall be transmitted back to the House where it originated.
(7) If the House of Representatives, in considering a Bill which has been rejected or amended by the National Assembly pursuant to clause (6), passes it again as it was or with amendments, by a majority of more than fifty percent of its sitting members, the Bill shall be presented to His Majesty for assent.
( 8 ) A Bill for which amendments have been recommended and which has been transmitted to the National Assembly by the House of Representatives pursuant to clause (6) shall be presented to His Majesty for assent if the National Assembly also passes a resolution to adopt the Bill with such amendments.
( 9 ) The following Bills shall be referred to a joint sitting of the two Houses and if the joint sitting passes the Bill as it was or with amendments, the House in which the Bill originated shall present it to His Majesty - for assent:
- Bills which, though passed by the National Assembly, have been rejected by the House of Representatives; or
- Bills which have been returned to the National Assembly with amendments by the House of Representatives, but which the National Assembly fails to pass with such amendments.
(10) If a session of a House terminates while a Bill is under consideration, deliberations on the Bill may continue at the succeeding session:
Provided that if any Bill introduced in the House of Representatives is under consideration, or if a Bill, having been - passed by that House and transmitted to the National Assembly, is under consideration in the National Assembly, when the House of Representatives is dissolved or its term expires, such Bill shall be deemed to have lapsed.
ARTICLE 70. Withdrawal of Bills:
A Bill may be withdrawn by the member introducing it with the approval of the House.
ARTICLE 71. Assent on Bills:
(1) A Bill which is to be presented to His Majesty for assent pursuant to Article 69 shall be so presented by the Speaker or the Chairman of the House in which the Bill originated after it has been duly certified by him under his hand:
Provided that in the case of a Finance Bill, the Speaker shall so certify.
(2) Upon His Majesty's assent to any Bill that has been presented to Him pursuant to this Article, both Houses shall be informed as soon as possible.
( 3 ) Except for a Finance Bill, if His Majesty is of the opinion that any Bill needs further deliberations, He may send back the Bill with His message to the House of origin of the Bill within one month from the date of presentation of the Bill to Him.
(4) If any Bill is sent back with a message from His Majesty, it shall be reconsidered by a joint sitting of the two Houses and if the Bill so reconsidered is again passed as it was or with amendments, and is again presented to Him, His Majesty shall give assent to that Bill within thirty days of such presentation.
(5) A Bill shall become an Act after His Majesty grants His assent to it in accordance with this Article, and such assent shall be deemed to have been granted after the Royal Seal has been affixed thereon .
ARTICLE 72. Ordinance:
(1) If at any time, except when both Houses of Parliament are in session, His Majesty is satisfied that circumstances exist which render it necessary for Him to take immediate action, He may, without prejudicing the provisions set forth in this Constitution, promulgate any Ordinance as He may deem necessary.
(2) An Ordinance promulgated under clause (1) shall have the same force and effect as an Act:
Provided that every such Ordinance :
- shall be tabled at the next session of both Houses of Parliament, and if not passed by both Houses, it shall ipso facto cease to be effective;
- may be repealed at any time by His Majesty; and
- shall, unless rendered ineffective or repealed under sub-clause (a) or (b), ipso facto cease to have effect at the expiration of six months from its promulgation or sixty days from the commencement of a session of both the Houses.
Explanation: If the two Houses of Parliament meet on different dates, the latter date on which a House commences its session shall be deemed to be the date of commencement of session for the purpose of computation of time under this clause.
