Nepal Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli to Seek Vote of Confidence on July 21st

Nepal’s newly appointed Prime Minister, KP Sharma Oli, is scheduled to seek a vote of confidence on July 21, just a week after assuming office. Oli, 72, who leads the CPN-UML (Communist Party of Nepal–Unified Marxist Leninist), was appointed Prime Minister by President Ram Chandra Paudel on July 14 following the loss of a confidence vote by his predecessor, Pushpa Kamal Dahal, in parliament.

Taking oath for his fourth term on July 15, Prime Minister Oli has notified the Parliament Secretariat of his intention to seek an early vote of confidence. According to CPN-UML Chief Whip Mahesh Bartaula, this early vote is aimed at ensuring stability and enabling effective governance. “As per the constitution, a Prime Minister must seek a vote of confidence within 30 days of assuming office. Prime Minister Oli has chosen July 21 for this vote to strengthen his mandate and facilitate his work,” Bartaula confirmed to ANI over the phone.

Earlier, on July 12, President Ram Chandra Paudel had invited political parties in Nepal’s Parliament to stake their claim for the Prime Ministership under Article 76(2) of the Constitution, following Dahal’s defeat in the trust vote. Oli promptly claimed majority support in parliament on July 16, backed by Nepali Congress and smaller parties, submitting signatures of 165 lawmakers.

The Constitution of Nepal requires a Prime Minister to secure the support of at least 138 members in the 275-strong House of Representatives to assume office and mandates a vote of confidence within 30 days thereafter.

Oli first became Prime Minister in October 2015, shortly after the promulgation of Nepal’s Constitution, serving until August 2016. He later assumed office from February 2018 to May 2021 and again from May 2021 to July 2021. During his tenure, Oli faced challenges including the dissolution of parliament, which was later overturned by the Supreme Court.

Under a deal reached on July 2, Oli and Nepali Congress chief Sher Bahadur Deuba agreed to share power on a rotational basis until the next general elections in 2027, although details of the agreement have not been disclosed to the public.

(Also Read: K P Sharma Oli Appointed Nepal’s Prime Minister for the Third Time)