KATHMANDU: The Supreme Court (SC) has sought a written response from the President’s Office and the Prime Minister about the oath within 15 days.
Hearing four different writs registered on Monday, a single bench of Chief Justice (CJ) Cholendra Shumsher Rana sought a written reply from the President’s Office, Prime Minister’s Office, and the Office of the Council of Ministers.
Even though the writ petitioners had sought an interim order barring the Prime Minister from taking the oath of office and working as the Prime Minister until he is sworn in again, the SC has refused to issue an interim order.
Arguing that Prime Minister failed to follow the terminologies and clauses recited by President Bidya Bhandari in letter and spirit during the swearing-in ceremony, constitutional experts Chandra Kanta Gyawali, Lokendra Oli, and Keshar Jung KC have demanded in the writs that the Prime Minister Oli should not be allowed to execute his day-to-day affairs until he is sworn-in again.
Oli had denied repeating the term ‘vow’ (pratigya garchhu) during the swearing-in ceremony held in Shital Niwas on May 11.
The petitioners in the writs have also demanded that those ministers who are not the lawmakers in the federal parliament should be relieved of their posts arguing that the process of their appointment is unconstitutional.
Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli on May 14 had reappointed seven ministers who are not the lawmakers in the federal parliament.
President Bhandari administered an oath of office and secrecy to them on the same day.
The ministers mentioned in the petition include Home Minister Ram Bahadur Thapa, Minister for Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation Top Bahadur Rayamajhi, Minister for Industry, Commerce and Supplies Lekh Raj Bhatta, Urban Development Minister Prabhu Sah, Minister for Water Supply Mani Thapa, Minister for Labor, Employment and Social Security Gauri Shankar Chaudhary and Minister for Youths and Sports Dawa Tamang.
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