SC orders Koshi cabinet not to take important decisions

KATHMANDU: The Supreme Court has ordered the Uddhab Thapa-led Koshi Province Government not to take any decision of long-term implications until the final verdict is passed.

A single bench of Justice Ishwar Khatiwada issued the order on Thursday, hearing a writ petition filed by Hikmat Kumar Karki, CPN-UML’s party leader in Koshi Province.

Karki moved the apex court on Wednesday arguing that the confidence vote secured by Chief Minister Uddhab Thapa on Monday is unconstitutional.

“Since Chief Minister Uddhab Thapa cannot be considered to have received a vote of confidence in accordance with the constitution, an interim order has been issued in the name of the defendant in accordance with Rule 49 of the Supreme Court Rules, 2017 to refrain from making decisions of long-term implications until the final ordered is passed,” the apex court’s order states.

The next hearing in the case has been scheduled for September 1.

UML moved the apex court after Israil Mansuri, an assembly member of the Nepali Congress (NC) who was presiding over the House session in the capacity of Speaker, voted in favor of Chief Minister Thapa on Monday. Following the vote, Mansuri declared that Chief Minister Thapa had successfully passed the floor test.