Nepal apex court annuls cabinet expansion by Oli, 20 ministers relieved from duties
Jun 22, 2021
Kathmandu [Nepal], June 22 : Nepal's apex court on Tuesday annulled the last round of cabinet reshuffle by Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli, when 12 new ministers and eight state ministers were inducted into the cabinet.
A bench of Chief Justice Cholendra Shumsher JBR and Justice Prakash Kumar Dhungana delivered the interim order on Tuesday afternoon.
"In the special circumstances when the parliament is dissolved, it has been clearly stated that existing cabinet under incumbent Prime Minister would be continuing over the post," the verdict states.
"During the incumbent situation, the sitting Prime Minister cannot expand the cabinet alike normal times which has been clearly stated and Clause 77 (3) of the constitution states the provision that Prime Minister cannot expand the cabinet, the prima facie does not support Prime Minister to expand the cabinet," it added.
As the Supreme Court issued interim order a total of 20 ministers from caretaker Prime Minister Oli's government has been relieved from the post.
Only four ministers who were continued in the last round of cabinet reshuffle earlier this month can continue over the post.
A case was lodged with the Supreme Court in earlier weeks of June challenging Oli's move.
Deputy Prime Minister as well as Finance Minister Bishnu Paudel, Law Minister Lilanath Shrestha, Minister for Education, Science and Technology Krishna Gopal Shrestha, and Physical Infrastructure and Transport Minister Basanta Kumar Nembang are now on board the cabinet under the Prime Ministership of KP Sharma Oli.
