Kathmandu, April 3 -- The first session of the newly elected House of Representatives commenced on Thursday with an exchange of blames and statements between the ruling and opposition parties.

Even before the House entered regular proceedings, CPN-UML lawmakers stood in protest to register their reservations over the arrest of party chair KP Sharma Oli, and Nepali Congress leader Ramesh Lekhak. The incumbent government on Saturday arrested them for alleged negligence and recklessness that led to the deaths of dozens during the September Gen Z movement.

Following the UML's reservations, a cross-party meeting of top leaders addressed the opening meeting of the session.

In his address, Rastriya Swatantra Party chair Rabi Lamichhane lashed...