SC unseats Koshi Chief Minister Uddhab Thapa, again

KATHMANDU: The Supreme Court has invalidated the Koshi Province Government led by Uddhab Thapa of the Nepali Congress.

A full bench of Justices Sapana Pradhan Malla, Dr. Kumar Chudal, and Nahakul Subedi ordered the Province Chief to form a new government under the leadership of the largest party in the provincial assembly, as per Article 168 (3) of the Constitution of Nepal within 48 hours.

The bench ruled that the confidence vote given to Thapa by provincial assembly member Israil Mansuri, who was chairing the session in the absence of Deputy Speaker Srijana Danuwar, was unconstitutional.

The apex court’s verdict has paved the way for UML parliamentary party leader Hikmat Bahadur Karki to form a government in the province. However, he will be required to secure a vote of confidence from the provincial assembly within 35 days.

This is the second time that Thapa’s government has been invalidated by the Supreme Court. Previously, the Supreme Court scrapped his government as he used the signature of then-Speaker Babu Ram Gautam while making a claim for government formation.