Nepal, Aug. 17 -- Under the House of Representatives Regulations, 2083 BS, bells are rung at various stages and in various situations in Parliament. A warning bell is rung five minutes before the start of the daily sitting to alert lawmakers to enter the meeting hall and take their seats. If a question is raised about whether the quorum has been met while the House is in session and a decision is to be taken, a three-minute warning bell is rung to call lawmakers outside the chamber into the hall. Similarly, when a proposal or bill is put to a vote, a five-minute bell is rung to summon lawmakers from their offices or other places outside the chamber.

Last Tuesday, while the parliamentary secretariat repeatedly rang the bell because the q...