Kathmandu: In a dramatic setback for Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli, the Nepal’s Supreme Court on Monday reinstated the dissolved House of Representatives for the second time in nearly five months and ordered the appointment of Nepali Congress President Sher Bahadur Deuba as prime minister within two days.
A five-member Constitutional Bench of the Supreme Court comprising justices Dipak Kumar Karki, Mira Khadka, Ishwar Prasad Khatiwada and Dr Ananda Mohan Bhattarai and headed by Chief Justice Cholendra Shumsher Ran had concluded hearings in the case last week.
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It can be recalled, President Bidya Devi Bhandari had dissolved the 275-member lower house for the second time in five months on May 22 at the recommendation of Prime Minister Oli. He later announced snap elections on November 12 and November 19.
A total of 30 writ petitions have been filed against the HoR dissolution. The writ petition filed by 146 before the apex court demands that "Constitutional wrong and malafide committed by the President be set right by reinstating the Parliament and appointing Deuba as the Prime Minister."
The top court bench ruled that Deuba be sworn in as the Prime Minister while the reinstated House be convened on July 18.
Nepal has been under reeling under major political crisi after President Bhandari dissolved the House and announced fresh elections at the recommendation of Prime Minister Oli, amidst a tussle for power within the ruling Nepal Communist Party (NCP).