Nepal: PM KP Sharma Oli abruptly convenes cabinet meeting, decides to dissolve parliament

Kathmandu, Ta. Sunday 20 December 2020

Nepal's Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli has decided to dissolve parliament by convening a surprise cabinet meeting on Sunday. PM KP Sharma Oli reached out to the President this morning on the recommendation of the Cabinet, which has spoken of dissolving Parliament.

Nepal's energy minister Barsaman Pune said the cabinet had recommended dissolving parliament in an emergency meeting convened by PM KP Sharma Oli. The recommendation has been sent to the President. The ruling Communist Party of Nepal has opposed KP Sharma Oli's decision.

Earlier, PM Oli was under pressure to withdraw a bill related to the Constitutional Council Act, which he issued on Tuesday and was approved by President Vidya Devi Bhandari within an hour. The Act gives him the right to convene a meeting and take a decision in the presence of three members without a full quorum.

KP Sharma Oli's party protested

Spokesperson of the ruling Communist Party of Nepal Narayanji Shrestha said that the decision was taken in a hurry as all in the cabinet meeting this morning

The minister was not present. This is against democratic norms and will take the nation backwards. This cannot be applied.

The political developments in Nepal have come to the fore after the Nepali Congress recently accused the Oli government of supporting the monarchists in the country. Nepal's main opposition party, the Nepali Congress, has accused the KP Sharma Oli government of strategically supporting pro-monarchy rallies in various parts of the country. These rallies demanded the resumption of the constitutional monarchy and the re-establishment of the country as a Hindu nation.