Himal Press 
KATHMANDU: The final hearing on a writ petition challenging the vote of confidence received by Chief Minister of Koshi Province, Uddhab Thapa, will be held continuously starting from Monday. A division bench of Justices Sapana Pradhan Malla and Sushma Lata Mathema issued the order on Sunday.
Hikmar Kumar Karki, the leader of the UML’s Parliamentary Party in Koshi Province, contested the vote of confidence in the Supreme Court, arguing that an assembly member chairing the session as the Speaker is not allowed to cast his/her vote.
He has named Province Chief Parshuram Khapung, Chief Minister Thapa, and the Province Assembly Secretariat defendants. Hearing the petition, a single bench of Justice Ishwar Prasad Khatiwada on August 24 ordered the provincial government to refrain from making decisions with long-term implications until a final verdict is reached in the case.
Karki, a former chief minister, moved the apex court after Nepali Congress assembly member Israil Mansuri, who was chairing the session in the absence of Deputy Speaker Srijana Danwuar, gave his confidence vote to Chief Minister Thapaa.
The Koshi Province Assembly is without a Speaker since Babu Ram Gautam resigned from the post to sign Thapa’s claim to form a government.
Previously, a division bench of three justices had invalidated Thapa’s election as Chief Minister after Thapa used the signature of Speaker Gautam to make a claim for government formation. The bench directed all concerned parties to restart the government formation process in accordance with Article 168 (2) of the Constitution of Nepal.
