On Tuesday, Nepal Congress president Sher Bahadur Deuba took oath as the Prime Minister for the fifth time.
The ceremony was supposed to take place at 6 pm local time (17:45 IST). However it was delayed after the Prime Minister refused to take oath. Sher Bahadur Deuba refused to sworn in, demanding correction in his appointment letter which did not mention the constitutional clause under which he was appointed.
As per reports, President Bidya Devi Bhandari appointed Deuba in accordance with article 76(5) of the constitution. This followed a day after the country’s Supreme Court overruled former PM KP Sharma Oli’s May 21 decision to dissolve the House of Representatives.
KP Sharma Oli resigned from Nepal’s caretaker prime minister earlier in the day. As he sent his resignation letter, he expressed, “Will abide by the Supreme Court orders.”
The five member constitutional bench headed by Chief Justice Cholendra Shumsher Rana asserted that Oli’s claim to the post of Prime Minister was unconditional.
As per local media reports, President Bidya Devi Bhandari failed to mention the article under which Deuba is being made the Prime Minister in the notice issued earlier in the day.
On this regard, Sher Bahadur Deuba wrote to the President notifying that he will not take the oath until the error is corrected.
Prior to this, Sher Bahadur Deuba served as the Prime Minister of the country four times, June 2017- February 2018, June 2004- February 2005, July 2001 – October 2002 and September 1995- March 1997.
Following the appointment, the Prime Minister would have 30 days to seek vote of confidence and prove majority to continue to serve as the Prime Minister for the remaining term of the Parliament.
