Tanvi Sinha
In a historic judgement, Nepal’s Supreme Court reinstated the House of Representatives that had been dissolved by Nepali prime minister K P Sharma Oli. This judgement is being celebrated by many across the country.
A five-judge constitution bench annulled the Centre’s decision to dissolve the lower house of parliament terming it “unconstitutional”.
The bench comprises Chief Justice Cholendra Shumsher and Justices Bishwombhar Prasad Shrestha, Anil Kumar Sinha, Sapana Malla and Tej Bahadur KC.
Nepal was flung into frenzy in December 2020, when President Bidya Dev Bhandari dissolved the House of Representatives. He also declared fresh elections on the bidding of Prime Minister Oli.
Post the judgement, the Government has been ordered to summon the house again within the next 13 days.
Nepal Communist Party led by Pushpa Kamal Damal Prachanda, heavily criticised Oli’s move.
Numerous writ petitions were subsequently filed by the members of parliament to the Supreme Court asking for restoration of the house.
Oli defended his move on the basis of members of his own party betraying him and attempting to form a “parallel government” and hence being forced to take such steps as it had become impossible for him to work.
He said he took the decision as it being an inherent power of the leader of the opposition party.
Only last month, the NCP had expelled their own Prime Minister from their party for what they called “anti-party” activities, and earlier in December had removed from being co-chair of the party.
A breakdown within the party caused for an Oli-led CPN UML and a Prachanda (the new chair of NCP) led NCP to revert back to the split in the two parties that had initially merged for the 2017 elections.
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