WI THOUT F EAR O R F A V O U R Nepal’s largest selling English daily Vol XXIX No. 146 | 8 pages | Rs.5 O O Printed simultaneously in Kathmandu, Biratnagar, Bharatpur and Nepalgunj 36.6 C 15.6 C Wednesday, July 14, 2021 | 30-03-2078 Nepalgunj Jumla Deuba returns as prime minister with challenges ahead Congress leader has taken over the reins for fifth time with a duty to fight pandemic and clean up the mess left by Oli. ANIL GIRI KATHMANDU, JULY 13 In February 2018, when Sher Bahadur Deuba handed over the government mantle to CPN-UML chair KP Sharma Oli, his party Nepali Congress had faced an unprecedented drubbing in the elections. Deuba led a coalition government, backed by the Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist Centre), that oversaw the elections. But during the elections, UML and the Maoist Centre formed an alliance. Oli returned to power with a bang—he had the mandate to govern for the full term. Deuba had no option than to wait for five years for next elections, in hopes of making a comeback. But three and a half years later, Deuba, 75, replaced Oli, 70, on Tuesday. This time again, he has the backing of the Maoist Centre. POST PHOTO: ANGAD DHAKAL President Bidya Devi Bhandari Sher Bahadur Deuba administered the oath of office and secrecy to Deuba on Tuesday, a day image. According to party leaders, POST PHOTO: ELITE JOSHI after the Supreme Court passed experts and observers, Deuba’s chal- People aged 55 and above, frontline workers and workers going abroad wait at Civil Hospital in Kathmandu as the government resumed an order to do so. lenges begin from day one. Covid-19 vaccination on Tuesday with the Vero Cell doses procured from China. Deuba has assumed office, for First, he has to win a vote of confi- the fifth time, at a time when the dence in the restored House within country is battling a pandemic one month from his appointment—by and questions are being raised August 12. Since the Madhav Nepal about political parties’ lack of faction of the UML has already made Confidence vote will commitment to the constitution, it clear that it no longer will stay with After court’s observations, system and democracy. the Deuba-led alliance, Deuba could Deuba, who has returned to win the vote of confidence only if all decide how long new power earlier than he had 32 lawmakers from the Janata thought, while has challenges Samajbadi Party, which is a divided questions arise over fate galore ahead of him, he also has house, support him. government lasts an opportunity to improve his >> Continued on page 2 of ordinance budget If Deuba wins, it will be 18 The court called the introduction of the budget through months. If not, he’ll have to an ordinance a week after House dissolution fraudulent. hold polls in six months. BINOD GHIMIRE Legal experts say Deuba government can bring a new one. KATHMANDU, JULY 13 With the appointment of Nepali Congress President Sher Bahadur Deuba as the country’s new prime minister, the question now is how long he will remain in the post. The House of Representatives has completed more than three and a half years of its five-year tenure. It still has a year and a half to go. In its order to appoint Deuba as prime minister, the Supreme Court said on Monday that he should “com- plete the process of getting the vote of confidence as per Article 76 (6) of the constitution”. According to Article 76 (6) he will have to go for a floor test in Parliament within 30 days of appointment. “The result of the vote of trust will decide the fate of the Deuba govern- ment,” Bipin Adhikari, former dean at Kathmandu University School of Law, told the Post. Despite his Nepali Congress having only 61 seats in the 275-member House of Representatives, Deuba had staked claim to form the government as per Article 76 (5) of the constitution with the support of lawmakers from four other parties—Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist Centre), Madhav Kumar Nepal faction of CPN-UML, POST FILE PHOTO the Upendra Yadav faction of Janata The Oli government introduced budget for the new fiscal year after dissolving the House. Samajbadi Party and Rastriya Janamorcha. PRITHVI MAN SHRESTHA and exercising discretionary powers.” Altogether 149 members of the KATHMANDU, JULY 13 Legal experts say it is up to the new House of Representatives supported government whether to continue with him—including 26 from the Nepal fac- The Supreme Court’s observation in the current budget for the next fiscal tion of the UML. Monday’s verdict that the introduc- year or introduce a new one. Deuba will continue as prime min- tion of the budget for the next fiscal “As the court didn’t issue any order ister until the periodic general elec- year 2021-22 by the outgoing Prime on scrapping the budget despite ques- tions to be held after a year and a half Minister KP Sharma Oli-led govern- tioning the intent of budget presenta- if the 26 UML dissidents continue to ment as inappropriate and against the tion through an ordinance after dis- support him. If not, fresh elections representative governance system, solving the House, it is up to the new have to be called within six months, as has raised questions about whether government whether to introduce a per Article 76(7) of the constitution. the new government should imple- new budget,” said Gandhi Pandit, a Leaders of the UML say it is unlike- ment the budget. corporate lawyer. “If the House of ly that they will support Deuba. The court’s verdict on Monday that Representatives fails to pass the ordi- “The UML will be a united party by reinstated the House of Representatives nance under which the budget was then [by the time of the vote of trust]. has also commented on the outgoing introduced, introducing a new budget It will make a decision where to stand government’s move to introduce a full will be imperative.” and we will follow that,” Gokarna budget through an ordinance despite As per constitutional provisions, an Bista, a UML secretary close to Nepal, being a ‘caretaker’ government. ordinance must be presented in the told the Post. “It is not appropriate to dissolve the House during the first meeting of its A 10-member task force of the party, House of Representatives and give new session and passed within 60 days with five from the Nepal faction and estimates of income and expenditure of its presentation. Otherwise, it gets five from the faction led by outgoing a legal form just a week ahead of the annulled. prime minister and UML party chair date of budget presentation and to The court also said that the dissolu- KP Sharma Oli, had on Sunday come introduce policies and annual pro- tion of the House of Representatives up with a 10-point recommendation. grammes of long-term importance by just a week ahead of the constitution- Bista was one of the members of the a caretaker government instead of ally-arranged budget presentation task force. introducing expenditure arrange- date can also be explained as fraud on One of the points of the recommen- ments for just compulsory liabilities implementation of Article 119 (3) of dation says, “On the House dissolu- of the government,” the court the constitution which mentions that tion case that is being examined by observed. “If such non-parliamentary the annual budget must be presented the Supreme Court, we will move practices are continued, it leads to the on Jestha 15 every year, which fell on ahead by following institutional deci- tendency of avoiding Parliament, May 29 this year. sions and the spirit of party unity.” devaluing constitutional provisions >> Continued on page 2 >> Continued on page 2 C M Y K WEDNESDAY, JULY 14, 2021 | 02 NATIONAL Army officer convicted in death Deuba returns as prime minister with challenges ahead of man inside Chitwan park >> Continued from page 1 to return to Baluwatar, only to be dis- day after declaring that there was no If he wins the vote of confidence, he missed by Gyanendra again when he political situation for him to secure a will remain prime minister for one assumed absolute power on February majority. Deuba too had reached out to Sergeant Chiran Kumar Budha was arrested last September. He was released from and a half years, until periodic elec- 1, 2005 in a royal coup. Two years President Bhandari with the signa- tions are held. later, Deuba decided to mend fences tures of 149 lawmakers demanding prison on Monday on account of completing nine-month jail term handed down by court. But if Deuba fails to win the vote of with Girija Prasad Koirala. The that he be appointed prime minister. confidence, the House would be dis- Nepali Congress (Democratic) was After the President rejected the RAMESH KUMAR PAUDEL The group was released on the same filed another complaint at the police solved, and elections must be held dissolved. claims by both Oli and Deuba, Oli dis- CHITWAN, JULY 13 day. But Raj Kumar was taken ill after office mentioning the names of those within six months. And his He became party president from the solved the House. he was released and died on July 22 of involved in the incident. government will be overseeing the 13th general convention in March The Supreme Court on Monday The Chitwan District Court has con- what is believed to be injuries inflict- The Chitwan police had arrested snap polls.