KP Sharma Oli’s Appointment as Nepal’s Prime Minister Challenged in Court
A writ petition has been lodged at the Supreme Court of Nepal against the appointment of KP Sharma Oli as the new Prime Minister. The petition was filed on Monday before Oli’s oath-taking ceremony at the President’s Office.
The petitioners, Khagendra Chapagain, Shailendra Gupta, and Deepak Adhikari, argue that Oli’s appointment under Article 76 (2) of the Constitution is invalid. They demand a new Prime Minister be appointed under Article 76 (3). The first hearing is scheduled for July 21, confirmed court official Gobinda Ghimire.
The petition names the Office of the President, the Office of the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers, the Secretariat of Parliament, and the House of Representatives as defendants. Article 76 outlines the process for appointing the Prime Minister and the Council of Ministers.
President Ram Chandra Paudel appointed Oli as Prime Minister after former PM Pushpa Kamal Dahal failed to pass a trust motion. Oli, supported by the Nepali Congress and smaller parties, submitted signatures of 165 lawmakers, claiming majority support in the 275-member House of Representatives.
Oli has previously served as Prime Minister from October 2015 to August 2016, and from February 2018 to May 2021. He was reappointed under Article 76 (3) from May 2021 to July 2021. During his tenure, Oli dissolved the parliament twice, which was later reinstated by the Supreme Court.
As per a deal between Congress chief Sher Bahadur Deuba and UML chairman Oli, the two parties will lead the government on a rotational basis until the next general elections in 2027. However, this deal has not been made public.
