Himal Press 
Supreme Court Building (File Photo)
KATHMANDU: The Supreme Court has declared the trust vote received by Gandaki Chief Minister Khaga Raj Adhikari invalid.
Hearing a writ petition filed by former Chief Minister and parliamentary party leader of the Nepali Congress in the Gandaki Province Assembly, Surendra Raj Pandey, a division bench of Justices Kumar Regmi and Sunil Kumar Pokharel issued the order on Monday.
As per the legal provision, a majority of 31 members is needed to pass the floor test in the 60-member province assembly. In the trust vote held on May 5, Adhikari received 30 votes. However, Speaker Krishna Dhital declared that Chief Minister Adhikari had secured a vote of confidence from the province assembly.
Pandey had challenged the Speaker’s decision in the apex court.
Earlier on May 10, a single bench of Justice Abdul Aziz Musalman issued an interim order against the government, instructing it to not take any decision that can have long term impacts.
Adhikari was appointed Chief Minister of Gandaki Province on April 7.
