The
newly elected lawmakers of BNP-led four-party alliance did not take oath on
Sunday as expected, and according to all indications they are not likely to do
so till January 7 when the BNP has scheduled a meeting of its new MPs.
BNP sources have attributed this delay to meetings of different forums of the
party leading up to the meeting of its newly elected members on January 7. The
party does not appear to be in a hurry to take oath immediately.
If they do not take oath now, they will have option to be administered oath to
the Election Commission and later by the newly elected speaker.
According to article 148 of the Constitution, newly elected MPs have to take oath from the Speaker within three days of publication of gazette notification and if they have failed to do so, they will have to take oath from the chief election commissioner.
According to article 67(a) of the Constitution, if the newly elected MPs fail to take oath from the chief election commissioner within the next three days, they must take oath within next 90 days of the first sitting of parliament from the Speaker after the expiry of the time-limit set for the chief election commissioner.