News Analysis | In Nepal, Supreme Court offers a way out of political impasse

The ruling is yet another blow to KP Oli

The decision by a to yet again overturn Prime Minister Khadga Prasad Oli’s dissolution of the House of Representatives was expected. Mr. Oli’s decision, ratified by President Bidhya Devi Bhandari who repeated the action taken in December 2020, came about in controversial circumstances in late May. After both Mr. Oli and the were unable to establish majority support in Parliament in trust votes, they presented claims to the President with signatures affirming support. Mr. Deuba’s claim presented to Ms. Bhandari with signatures of 149 legislators was more valid than Mr. Oli’s, whose claim of support from 153 lawmakers were based on signatures of the leaders of the parties rather than from each individual. The discrepancy in Mr. Oli’s claims was due to the fact that both the ruling Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist-Leninist) (UML) and the Janbadi Samajwadi Party (JSP) in the opposition were vertically split with rebel factions supporting Mr. Deuba’s candidacy, even though the parliamentary leaders of the parties gave their signatures affirming support for Mr. Oli.