PM Oli gets Nepal Parliament dissolved; Opposition cries foul PTI
Kathmandu: Nepal’s embattled Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli Sunday sprang a surprise on his rivals and got the President to dissolve Parliament, a controversial move amidst a prolonged tussle for power between him and former premier Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’.
President Bidya Devi Bhandari dissolved Parliament’s House of Representatives at Oli’s recommendation and announced mid-term general election in April-May, a decision criticised by the Opposition as unconstitutional.
Earlier, an emergency meeting of the Cabinet chaired by Oli decided to recommend the President for the dissolution of Parliament, a senior Standing Committee member of the ruling Nepal Communist Party (NCP) told PTI.
Turtle tsunami
Nepalese President Bidya Devi Bhandari dissolved the Parliament at the recommendation of the Cabinet of Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli, who has been engaged in a tussle intraparty fighting.
In a press release, the President s office said that the country will be going to a mid-term national election in April-May. Oli s recommendation to dissolve the House of Representatives (HOR) is being seen as a move to deny his political rival Pushpa Dahal Kamal Prachanda a chance to replace him as per a power-sharing agreement.
What happened - top developments
On Sunday morning, Oli called an emergency meeting of his Cabinet colleagues and passed a resolution recommending for dissolution of Parliament. The recommendation was sent to President Bhandari who approved it almost immediately.
Nepal in turmoil
Under pressure Nepal PM Sharma Oli×
Pragmatism by India is more advisable at this stage than proactive involvement
Nepal Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli’s surprise move this Sunday to dissolve the Lower House of Parliament, apparently as a manoeuvre to counter the discord within the ruling party and a challenge to his leadership, has precipitated a Constitutional crisis. The President Bidya Devi Bhandari has signed off on the Cabinet recommendation to dissolve the Nepalese Parliament and called for fresh elections in April-May, next year. While the decision has triggered pro-democracy protests and local newspapers have variously described the move as “treachery” and “coup de grace on Parliamentary democracy”, several petitions challenging the move have been filed in the Supreme Court. Although the Nepalese Constitution does not have a clear provision about House dissolution, the spontaneous eruption of street protests and anger against the move doubtless
PM Oli s Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist-Leninist) and Prachanda s Community Party of Nepal (Maoist Centre) had been at loggerheads for decades before the two decided to put aside their differences in 2017 and contest the elections as an alliance.
Together, they won 174 seats in the 275-member house forming the National Communist Party but all has not been well since.
When the alliance formed the government, a power-sharing agreement was brokered between PM Oli and Prachanda which would see the former serve as prime minister for a period of two-and-a-half years before the latter took over the top spot for the remaining two-and-a-half years. However, the deal has never been ratified with PM Oli constantly delaying its tabling at the General Council.
Nepal PM Oli dissolves Parliament over power tussle; rivals cry foul
By PTI| Posted by Mansoor | Updated: 20th December 2020 6:10 pm IST
Kathmandu: Nepal’s embattled Prime Minister K P Sharma Oli on Sunday sprang a surprise on his rivals and got the President to dissolve Parliament, a controversial move amidst a prolonged tussle for power between him and former premier Pushpa Kamal Dahal Prachanda .
President Bidya Devi Bhandari dissolved Parliament’s House of Representatives at Oli’s recommendation and announced mid-term general election in April-May, a decision criticised by the Opposition as unconstitutional.
Earlier, an emergency meeting of the Cabinet chaired by Oli decided to recommend the President for the dissolution of Parliament, a senior Standing Committee member of the ruling Nepal Communist Party (NCP) told PTI.