Debate on Parliament Dissolution Continues

Kathmandu – As the process of forming an interim government gains pace, a consensus has been reached to appoint former Chief Justice Sushila Karki as Prime Minister. However, the sensitive issue of whether to dissolve parliament remains unresolved.

The agreement was reached during a late-night meeting at the President’s Office, Sheetal Niwas, on Thursday. The meeting, attended by President Ram Chandra Paudel, lasted nearly four and a half hours, beginning at 10:30 p.m. and concluding at 3:30 a.m. on Friday.

The decision was made following a proposal from Gen Z representatives. Alongside them, Kathmandu Metropolitan City Mayor Balendra Shah (Balen) and Chief of Army Staff Ashokraj Sigdel also expressed support for Karki leading the interim government.

Still, President Paudel has not reached a conclusion on whether to dissolve parliament. It has been agreed that discussions will resume at 9 a.m. on Friday. He has also begun separate consultations with Speaker Devraj Ghimire regarding this matter.

Participants in the talks noted that the constitution does not allow a non-parliamentarian to become Prime Minister while parliament is still in place, which has complicated the decision. However, President Paudel has sought advice from constitutional experts on whether Article 61 (4), which grants the President authority to “remove obstacles,” could be applied. Legal experts advised that as the guardian of the nation, the President could take a decision that causes the least harm, even in exceptional situations.

This political development follows the Gen Z protests, which escalated after government crackdowns left 19 youths dead on September 8. The Ministry of Health confirmed that the death toll had risen to 36 by Thursday evening, with two more injured succumbing during treatment. So far, 1,330 of the injured have been discharged after treatment, while 322 remain hospitalized.