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Kathmandu: In a major setback to Nepal Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli, the government led by him lost confidence vote in the House of Representatives on Monday as only 93 votes were cast in its favour.
Oli needed 136 votes to win the trust vote in the 271-strong House of Representatives but a total of 124 members voted against the confidence motion while 15 members stayed neutral during the session, which was attended by 232 lawmakers.
“As the votes cast in favour of the motion fell short to achieve a majority of the existing strength of the House of Representatives, I hereby declare that the Prime Minister’s motion to seek a vote of confidence has been rejected,” The Kathmandu Post quoted Speaker Agni Sapkota as saying.
Oli, who was elected the Prime Minister earlier in February 2018 with the Maoist Centre’s support as per Article 76 (2), had last week announced to go for a floor test as per Article 100 (1) of the Constitution but days before the same the Maoist Centre withdrew its support to him.
Oli’s government had earlier after the merger between his UML and Pushpakamal Dahal’s Maoist Centre attained the status of a government formed under Article 76 (1), as the united Nepal Communist Party (NCP) commanded a comfortable majority in the House.
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With Oli failing the trust vote, the President needs to invoke Article 76 (2) – which says the President in cases where no party has a clear majority in the House of Representatives shall appoint as the Prime Minister a member of the House of Representatives who can command majority with the support of two or more parties in the House of Representatives – to form a new government.
In case the House fails to give a government as per Article 76 (2) or a Prime Minister appointed under this provision fails to win the vote of confidence within 30 days from the appointment, the President shall invoke Article 76 (3) – which says in cases where Prime Minister cannot be appointed under Clause (2)… or the Prime Minister so appointed fails to secure a vote of confidence within 30 days from the date of appointment, the President shall appoint as the Prime Minister the parliamentary party leader of the party which has the highest number of members in the House of Representatives.
Oli, currently is the leader of a party that has the highest number of members in the House, is likely to stake claim to the government yet again as per Article 76 (3) but if he is appointed in that case then he also needs to win the vote of confidence within 30 days from the appointment date.
Meanwhile, Nepali Congress, the Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist Centre) and a faction of the Janata Samajbadi Party have urged President Bidya Devi Bhandari to invoke Article 76 (2) of the Constitution to pave the way for the formation of a new government.
The problems for Oli come at a time when Nepal, which has been one of the beneficiaries of neighbouring nation India’s vaccine diplomacy, is gradually witnessing a surge in Covid-19 cases.
India must also be keeping a close eye on the political developments in Nepal as there was strain in the relationship between both sides after the boundary dispute under Oli’s leadership last year.
New Delhi had in May last year rejected objections raised by Nepal over the inauguration of a new road to the Lipulekh pass along the border with China in Uttarakhand with the Indian Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) categorically stating the road section in Pithoragarh district in Uttarakhand lies completely within the territory of India.
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