Nepal SC concludes hearing in House dissolution case, verdict likely next week

Both petitioners and respondents concluded their pleading at the Constitutional Bench of the apex court on the House dissolution case. A four-member amicus curiae also presented its opinion on the case on Monday.

According to court sources, the court is most likely to pass the verdict on July 12.

A Constitutional Bench led by Chief Justice Cholendra Shumsher Rana conducted hearings on the case for more than a month. The bench comprised four other senior justices- Dipak Kumar Karki, Mira Khadka, Ishwar Prasad Khatiwada and Dr Ananda Mohan Bhattarai.

At the recommendation of Prime Minister K P Sharma Oli, President Bhandari dissolved the lower house for the second time in five months on May 22 and announced snap elections on November 12 and November 19.

As many as 30 petitions were filed at the Supreme Court against the move. Prime Minister Oli is currently heading a minority government after losing a trust vote in the 275-member House.

The amicus curiae comprises senior advocates Raghavlal Baidya and Usha Malla Pathak from Nepal Bar Association and Komal Prakash Ghimire and Prakash Bahadur KC from the Supreme Court Bar Association.

Meanwhile, the Election Commission on Monday announced the schedule for the upcoming midterm polls with the election process starting from July 15.

Nepal plunged into a political crisis on December 20 last year after President Bhandari dissolved the House and announced fresh elections on April 30 and May 10 at the recommendation of Prime Minister Oli, amidst a tussle for power within the ruling Nepal Communist Party (NCP).

In February, the apex court reinstated the dissolved House of Representatives, in a setback to embattled Prime Minister Oli who was preparing for snap polls.

Oli repeatedly defended his move to dissolve the House of Representatives, saying some leaders of his party were attempting to form a "parallel government".