Nepal s parliament dissolved, president calls for fresh elections
This is the second time in six months that the country s parliament has been dissolved. The political crisis comes at a time when Nepal is reeling from the burden of new COVID cases.
Nepal is currently in the grip of a growing COVID crisis
Nepal s president, Bidya Devi Bhandari, dissolved the country s parliament on Saturday and called for fresh elections in November. Bhandari s office said that the decision was made on the recommendation of the cabinet headed by caretaker Prime Minister K.P Sharma Oli.
Bhandari rejected bids for the prime ministerial post from Oli and opposition leader, Sher Bahadur Deuba from the Nepali Congress party, after both leaders failed to muster support to form a new government by the deadline.
As the second wave brings deaths and infections to a record high, critics say Nepal's top leadership has largely ignored the health crisis and has instead placed its primary focus on reforming the government.
COVID-19 rages through Nepal
Oli had recommended dissolving the House of Representatives last December, but it was reinstated by the Supreme Court in February, which said the move to dissolve the legislature was unconstitutional.
After Oli lost the confidence motion, President Bidhya Devi Bhandari called on political parties to come up with a proposal to form a majority coalition government of two or more parties, within three days.
The leadership of all four political parties represented in the House the CPN-UML, CPN-Maoist Centre, Janata Samajwadi Party (JSP) and Nepal Workers and Peasants Party (NWPP) were busy in internal meetings and intraparty discussions as to whether or not to keep the Oli government intact.
PHOTO / WORLD
By Xinhua Published: Apr 26, 2021 02:18 PM
Photo taken on April 24, 2021 show the newly-built Dharahara in Kathmandu, Nepal. Located in Kathmandu and built in 1832, the nine-storey Dharahara Tower is part of the city s historical architecture recognized by UNESCO. Most of the tower collapsed on April 25, 2015 during the massive earthquake although the base remains. The reconstruction work started in 2018 and the newly-built Dharahara was inaugurated on April 24.(Photo: Xinhua)
Nepal s Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli (C) attends the inauguration of the newly-built Dharahara in Kathmandu, Nepal, April 24, 2021. Located in Kathmandu and built in 1832, the nine-storey Dharahara Tower is part of the city s historical architecture recognized by UNESCO. Most of the tower collapsed on April 25, 2015 during the massive earthquake although the base remains. The reconstruction work started in 2018 and the newly-built Dharahara was inaugurated on April 24.(Photo: Xinhua)