K P Sharma Oli, Nepal's recently appointed Prime Minister, is set to undergo a crucial vote of confidence in Parliament on July 21, as mandated by the Constitution, according to the chief whip of his party.
Sworn in on Monday for his fourth term as Prime Minister at the age of 72, Oli has decided to proceed with the confidence vote this Sunday.
The Communist Party of Nepal-Unified Marxist Leninist (CPN-UML) Chief Whip Mahesh Bertaula confirmed Prime Minister Oli's decision to seek parliamentary endorsement.
Under Nepal's constitutional provisions, Oli must secure a majority vote within 30 days of assuming office.
With a minimum requirement of 138 seats in the 275-member House of Representatives (HoR) to form a government, Oli is expected to clear this hurdle comfortably.
Following the resignation of his predecessor Pushpa Kamal Dahal 'Prachanda,' Oli was appointed by President Ram Chandra Paudel to lead a coalition government with the Nepali Congress (NC) and other smaller parties.
The new coalition administration faces the critical task of restoring political stability in Nepal, which has witnessed significant political upheaval, with 14 governments in the past 16 years under the republican system.
Hours after Oli's inauguration, three advocates filed a writ petition in Nepal's Supreme Court challenging the constitutionality of his appointment.
They argued that if a government formed under Article 76 (2) fails a floor test, the president should invoke Article 76 (3) to call for the formation of a new government.
The Supreme Court has scheduled a preliminary hearing for July 21, coinciding with Oli's confidence vote in Parliament.
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