A special Constitution Bench of the Supreme Court of Nepal on Tuesday reinstated the Pratinidhi Sabha, the Lower House of the Parliament. The House was dissolved on December 20 last by President Bidya Devi Bhandari on the recommendation of K P Sharma Oli cabinet. Oli took this move as he feared that he would lose majority following split in the ruling Nepal Communist Party. After the dissolution of the House, Oli had announced that fresh elections would be held in April.
However, the Supreme Court bench headed by the Chief Justice Cholendra Shumsher JBR ruled that though the issue is political in nature yet the court had to deal with it in the interest of upholding the Constitution of Nepal. The court ruling came in response to 13 writ petitions. It ordered the 275-member House to convene within 13 days.
The two senior leaders of the Nepal Communist Party Madhav Kumar Nepal and Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’ welcomed the decision. However, Prachanda clarified that there is no scope for reconciliation with Oli under the present circumstances.
Since the Lower House has been reinstated by the Supreme Court it is unlikely that the Election Commission would announce dates of election. Nepal is in the grip of another type of political uncertainty now. It is to be seen how Oli overcomes this crisis.
