Suspending rules, the National Assembly on Sunday endorsed the amendment bill relating to the inquiry into the Enforced Disappeared Persons, Truth and Reconciliation Act-2014.

Citing time constraints, the NA suspended the rule that allow the lawmakers 72 hours to register amendments to the bill. The terms of the two transitional justice bodies expire on Friday.

The bill extends the tenures of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) and the Commission of Investigation on Enforced Disappeared Persons (CIEDP) for one more year. However, the terms of their chairpersons and members will expire after mid-April.

Following a decision at the Cabinet last Monday, the government had registered a bill on Tuesday to amend the Enforced Disappeared Persons, Truth and Reconciliation Act-2014 in the NA Secretariat.

Law Minister Bhanubhakta Dhakal had tabled the bill, but the meeting was adjourned for an hour. Dhakal said the bill was necessary to extend the term of the bill and define the terms of its officials in order to conclude the remaining tasks of the transitional justice. “If the two transitional justice bodies failed to complete their remaining tasks in the next one year, their term could be extended for one more year,” he said.

Lawmaker Badri Pande opposed to extending the tenure of the transitional justice bodies, saying the government was slow on concluding the remaining works of the peace process. While another lawmaker Jitendra Dev, warning of its complications, called on all the stakeholders for a political unity to resolve the issue through discussions.

The bill was tabled at the House of Representatives soon after being endorsed by the Upper House on Sunday. “The HoR has already concluded theoretical discussions on the bill on inquiry into the Enforced Disappeared Persons, Truth and Reconciliation Act,” said Gopal Nath Yogi, secretary at the HoR.

Yogi, however, maintains the HoR does not need to suspend the rule as the bill could be endorsed by Thursday.