Himal Press 
Supreme Court Building (File Photo)
KATHMANDU: The Supreme Court has asked Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli to provide reasons for not seeking a vote of confidence, even after one of the supporting parties in his coalition withdrew support.
Hearing a writ petition filed by Advocate Birendra KC, a single bench of Justice Sunil Kumar Pokharel issued the order on Friday. The bench has summoned both parties on August 27 to discuss why an interim order should not be issued.
The Janata Samajwadi Party (JSP) Nepal officially withdrew its support from the government on July 16.
However, PM Oli chose not to take a floor test, stating that the government is not obliged to seek a vote of confidence just because a party has withdrawn its support.
KC had named Prime Minister Oli, the Office of the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers, Speaker Devraj Ghimire, the Federal Parliament Secretariat, and the Office of the President as defendants in his petition.
According to Article 100(2) of the Constitution of Nepal, the Prime Minister must table a motion in the House of Representatives for a vote of confidence within thirty days if the political party which the Prime Minister represents is divided or a political party in the coalition government withdraws its support.
