KATHMANDU: The Supreme Court (SC) has dismissed the writ petition filed against the appointment of Gandaki Chief Minister Khagraj Adhikari, paving the way for the expansion of the government.

The division bench of Supreme Court Justices Sapana Pradhan Malla and Saranga Subedi conducted the hearing on the writ and dismissed it.

Claiming that the inclusion of Speaker Krishna Prasad Dhital’s signature in the list to show majority lawmakers for the post of Chief Minister was against the Constitution, the main opposition party Nepali Congress (NC) had reached the SC seeking the dismissal of Chief Minister Adhikari.

NC parliamentary party leader in the province had filed the case making Province Chief Dilliraj Bhatta, Chief Minister Adhikari, and Speaker Dhital defendants.

CPN-UML leader Khagraj Adhikari became Chief Minister of Gandaki with support from UML, CPN-Maoist Center, and independent lawmaker Rajiv Gurung alias Deepak Manange.

In Gandaki, there are 27 lawmakers from NC, 22 from UML, 8 from the Maoist Center including the Speaker, and 2 from the Rastriya Prajatantra Party.

There is one independent lawmaker, Deepak Manange.

Garnering support from 31 lawmakers is mandatory to form the government in the 60-member provincial assembly in Gandaki.