News Analysis | In Nepal, Supreme Court offers a way out of political impasse
The Hindu
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.The election authorities are gearing up for the counting of votes cast in the simultaneous elections to Lok Sabha and Assembly seats in Andhra Pradesh, scheduled to be held on June 4. The Collectors and Election Officers of Visakhapatnam, Anakapalli and Alluri Sitharama Raju (ASR) districts said on May 23 (Thursday) that their teams were ready for the counting of votes.
Responding to the prolonged water scarcity, the residents of the area took to the streets in protest on Wednesday. The protest, which drew attention to their plight, stopped only after the intervention of the police. It was not until 1.30 p.m. that a 4000-litre tanker was finally delivered by BWSSB, providing relief to the water-starved residents.