Another writ filed at SC against Cabinet expansion

KATHMANDU: A writ petition has been filed at the Supreme Court (SC) claiming that the government that has announced elections after dissolving the House of Representatives (HoR) can’t expand the Council of Ministers.

Senior Advocate Dinesh Tripathi filed the petition at the apex court on Tuesday naming the President’s Office, Prime Minister KP Oli, and the Office of the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers as defendants.

Stating that the caretaker government can only run the daily work of the country as per the global norms, the petition states that the government cannot make new appointments and reshuffle the Council of Ministers.

He has demanded annulling the decision to induct new ministers and reshuffle portfolios of incumbent ministers.

Earlier on Monday, a writ was registered at the apex court alleging that the Prime Minister who has turned caretaker after the dissolution of the House of Representatives expanded the Council of Ministers going against the constitution.

Advocates Lokendra Oli, Keshar Jung KC, and Dinesh Lamichhane had filed the writ petition demanding an immediate halt to the Cabinet expansion. The apex court will conduct the first hearing on the case on Wednesday.

Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli on Friday had inducted eight new ministers and one state minister into the Cabinet and also reshuffled the ministries of incumbent ministers.