KATHMANDU, June 18: Chief Minister of Gandaki Province, Krishna Chandra Nepali Pokharel has won a vote of confidence as per Article 168 (6) of the Constitution of Nepal from the 59-member provincial assembly.
Pokharel, who is also the parliamentary party leader of the ruling Nepali Congress (NC) in the province, was appointed the chief minister on June 12 in accordance with Article 168 (5). Along with the NC, he has the support of members belonging to the CPN (Maoist Center), Rastriya Janamorcha (RJM) and Janata Samajbadi Party (JSP). Similarly, an independent lawmaker also supports him.
Chief Minister Pokharel, who tabled the confidence motion nearly a week after he assumed his office, secured a total of 31 votes while 27 members voted against him. Of the 58 votes cast during Friday’s meeting, all were declared valid.
Pokharel was required to obtain the assembly’s trust within 30 days from the date of his appointment as per the constitutional provisions.
With this, Pokharel will remain in office for the next two years as per Article 188 (4). The article states, “A minimum of one-fourth of the total number of then members of the Provincial Assembly may table in writing a motion of no-confidence against the chief minister, provided that a motion of no confidence may not be tabled until the first two years after the appointment of the chief minister and until another one year after the date of failure of the motion of no confidence once tabled.
However, Article 168 (2) states that the chief minister shall table a resolution in the provincial assembly for a vote of confidence within thirty days if the political party which the CM represents splits or a political party in coalition Province Government withdraws its support.