Nepal PM Oli's move to dissolve Parliament challenged; Constitutional Bench to hear pleas

A Constitutional bench will hear all petitions challenging Prime Minister K P Sharma Oli's move to abruptly dissolve the Parliament, amid an intensified struggle between the two warring factions of the ruling Nepal Communist Party to wrest control of the party. Nepal's Supreme Court has also issued a show-cause notice to Prime Minister Oli-led government, asking it to furnish a written clarification over its decision to dissolve Parliament. The Oli-led Cabinet now has 18 members including ministers and ministers of state. 

READ | Nepal PM KP Sharma Oli's Government Recommends House Dissolution; Goes To Meet President

The Constitutional bench will issue a verdict on the PM's move 

The five-member bench headed by Chief Justice Cholendra Shumsher Rana will issue a verdict on the Prime Minister's move to dissolve the 275-member House of Representatives, the lower house of parliament, My Republica newspaper reported. The five-member bench comprises justices Bishwambhar Prasad Shrestha, Tej Bahadur KC, Anil Kumar Sinha, and Hari Krishna Karki.

READ | Nepal Citizens Want Royals Back; Kathmandu Rocked By Protests Demanding Monarchy's Return

On Wednesday, Chief Justice Rana's single bench forwarded all writ petitions to the Constitutional bench. Altogether 13 writ petitions have been registered at the top court challenging the government''s decision to dissolve Parliament.

During the hearing on Wednesday, senior lawyers citing Constitutional provisions argued that Prime Minister Oli has no right to dissolve the House as long as there is a possibility of forming an alternative government.

READ | Nepal To Send 'positive Response' On India's Air Bubble Offer To Resume Flight Services

Prime Minister Oli inducted five new ministers into his cabinet on Friday. This comes after seven ministers resigned from his cabinet expressing dissatisfaction at the PM’s decision to dissolve the parliament. Earlier this year, one member of Oli’s cabinet already resigned owing to differences with the leadership.  Despite five new appointments, Oli is still tasked with making another eight appointments, one of them being the Defense Minister.

READ | Nepal PM KP Sharma Oli Appointments Five New Cabinet Ministers Following Mass Resignation

(With PTI Inputs)