February 19: The House of Representatives (HoR) approved the proposal for consideration of 'The Banking Offenses and Punishment (Second Amendment) Bill, 2080 with a majority vote on Sunday. Finance Minister Dr. Prakash Sharan Mahat tabled the proposal during Sunday's meeting of the HoR. Members of Parliament wishing to propose amendments were instructed to submit their proposals to the House of Representatives Bill Unit within 72 hours.

The purpose of the Bill is to enhance the systematic and effective investigation, prosecution, and action against criminal offenses in the banking and financial sector.

During the deliberation phase, lawmakers noted the growing prominence of digital payments over cheques. However, they pointed out that the regulation of digital transactions was not adequately addressed in the bill. Dr. Swarnim Wagle, Shyam Kumar Ghimire, Rajan KC, Asim Shah, Sumana Shrestha, and others emphasized the importance of not solely focusing on cheque dishonor but also considering digital transactions.