KATHMANDU, May 7: The ruling parties have concluded that there is no need for Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal to take a vote of confidence again.
A meeting of the top leaders of the ruling parties held at the Prime Minister's Official Residence in Baluwatar on Saturday evening reached such a conclusion amid suggestions from various quarters that Prime Minister Dahal must secure vote of confidence from parliament after Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) decided to withdraw its support to the government on Friday.
CPN (Maoist Center) Whip Hitraj Pandey informed Republica that the alliance meeting held on Saturday evening reached the conclusion. He added that even if RSP withdraws its support, there is no constitutional provision to take a vote of confidence. “At present, there is no constitutional arrangement to take a vote of confidence. There is no such need," he said while talking to journalists after the meeting.
Ruling parties' pledges must translate into action
With the RSP withdrawing its support to the government on Friday, a fresh debate has started if the prime minister, who has already secured a vote of confidence from parliament twice since his appointment on December 25, 2022, is required to take a vote of confidence again.
As per the Article 100 (2) of the Constitution of Nepal, 2015, the prime minister needs to table a motion in the House of Representatives for a vote of confidence within thirty days in case the political party, which the prime minister represents, is divided or a political party in coalition government withdraws its support. The prime minister is automatically relieved from the post in case such a motion is not adopted by a majority of the total number of the then members of the House of Representatives as per the Article 100 (3) of the constitution.
Although constitutional experts also argue that there is no need for Prime Minister Dahal to take confidence from parliament as none of these situations have emerged now, the main opposition party, CPN-UML, has maintained that the vote of confidence is a matter of moral issue. The RSP had earlier recalled all its ministers from the cabinet.
UML's Deputy Secretary General Bishnu Rimal said that it is UML's belief that there should be a test of confidence in the House after the party in the ruling coalition withdraws its support.
Pandey said that there was also a discussion about how to present the budget session starting from Sunday. He said that there was also a discussion about how to organize the parliament meeting. He informed Republica that there was also a discussion about the Civil Act, Federal Education Act.
"The budget session of the federal parliament is going to be held from tomorrow (Sunday). There was a discussion about how to organize it. In tomorrow's meeting, there is an agenda of presenting the principles and priorities of the government," he further said.
