Balen to be sworn in as Prime Minister on March 27

KATHMANDU: Balendra Shah of the Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) will take the oath of office and secrecy as the 40th Prime Minister of Nepal on March 27.

A meeting of senior RSP leaders held at a hotel in Kathmandu on Thursday afternoon finalized the date.

The Federal Parliament Secretariat has scheduled an oath-taking ceremony for new lawmakers for 2 pm on March 26.

RSP sources say Shah will be elected as the leader of the RSP’s parliamentary party after the oath-taking ceremony, following which he will stake a claim to form a new government as per Article 76(1) of the Constitution of Nepal, 2015.

“The President shall appoint the leader of a parliamentary party that commands a majority in the House of Representatives as the Prime Minister, and the Council of Ministers shall be constituted under his or her chairpersonship,” Article 76(1) states.

This will be the first time a new government is being formed as per Article 76(1) since the promulgation of the constitution in 2015.

RSP enjoys a clear majority in the new House of Representatives, winning 182 out of 275 seats.