Writ filed in Nepal Supreme Court challenging Oli’s appointment as PM

KATHMANDU, Jul 15 : A writ petition was filed in the Supreme Court of Nepal on Monday challenging the appointment of K P Sharma Oli as the country’s new prime minister by President Ramchandra Paudel, arguing that it was unconstitutional.
Three advocates — Deepak Adhikari, Khagendra Prasad Chapagain and Shailendra Kumar Gupta — filed the writ and sought the annulment of Oli’s appointment as the prime minister, according to Supreme Court officials.
The advocates argued that the president should call for the formation of a new government under Article 76 (3) if a government formed as per Article 76 (2) fails the floor test in the House of Representatives.
The apex court has set July 21 as the date for a preliminary hearing in the case.
Paudel on Sunday appointed Oli, 72, as the prime minister after the newly appointed premier submitted signatures from 165 members of the House of Representatives to the President on Friday.
Oli, the Chairman of the Communist Party of Nepal-Unified Marxist Leninist (CPN-UML), was appointed Nepal’s prime minister for a fourth term on Sunday to lead a new coalition government.
Oli, along with 21 Cabinet ministers, took the oath of office and secrecy on Monday.
Oli succeeds Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’ who lost the vote of confidence in the House of Representatives on Friday. (PTI)