Image source, EPA
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Leaders of the Rastriya Swatantra Party have stated that a new prime minister could be appointed within days after the Election Commission issues certificates to the MPs elected under the proportional representation system.
Only after the MPs elected under the proportional representation system receive their certificates on Chaitra 5 will the Rastriya Swatantra Party formally hold a majority in Parliament.
Currently, 125 MPs elected under the direct election system from the Rastriya Swatantra Party have received their certificates.
Certificates remain to be distributed to 57 MPs elected under the proportional system from the party.
The Election Commission has immediately issued certificates to 165 directly elected MPs, but the final results under the proportional system were only announced on Monday.
On Thursday, after issuing certificates to 110 MPs elected under the proportional system based on votes received by parties, the commission is preparing to submit the final election report to President Ramchandra Paudel on the same day.
According to the President’s office, the commission has requested to present the report at 4 PM on Chaitra 5.
After submitting the final report to the President, the Election Commission has indicated that the path will open for forming a new government and starting parliamentary proceedings.
When Will the New Prime Minister Be Appointed?
The constitution mandates that a new prime minister must be appointed within 35 days of the final announcement of the House of Representatives’ results.
Legal experts say that this means the majority party must appoint the new prime minister by Baishakh 10.
Since this is the first time since the new constitution that a single party has won a clear majority and has also already announced its prime ministerial candidate before the election, leaders of the Rastriya Swatantra Party say there is no need to wait until the last moment to select the new prime minister.
According to them, the country may have a new prime minister as early as the beginning of next week.
The Rastriya Swatantra Party has already announced senior party leader and former Kathmandu Metropolitan Mayor Balen Shah as their candidate for the new prime minister.
Following an agreement with the party chair, the independent elected mayor Balen joined the Rastriya Swatantra Party. On Magh 5, addressing the party assembly in Janakpur, Madhesh, Balen declared, “We, a son of Madhesh, will become the prime minister.”
What Are the Rastriya Swatantra Party’s Preparations?
Image source, RSP
Since Nepal does not have a directly elected prime minister system, the Rastriya Swatantra Party cannot finalize its prime ministerial choice by just pre-election announcements. They must also select their parliamentary party leader.
According to Article 76, Clause 1 of the constitution, the president appoints the parliamentary party leader of the majority party as prime minister.
Therefore, the Rastriya Swatantra Party leaders say they are preparing to select their parliamentary party leader once the final results are announced.
However, the party’s statutes extend the parliamentary party leader selection process, and discussions are ongoing about shortening it.
When asked by some party leaders about the likely date of the prime minister’s oath-taking, former minister Shishir Khanal said, “In my personal opinion, it could happen as soon as Chaitra 9 or 10.”
Other leaders also suggest that the new prime minister’s oath could take place on Monday, Chaitra 9.
What Are the President’s Office Preparations?
Image source, Reuters
The President’s office says it has no information yet regarding the date of the new prime minister’s oath-taking ceremony.
Presidential spokesperson Ritesh Kumar Shakya said, “We are in a state of readiness, but so far we have not received information about when the ceremony will be held.”
Some experts have questioned whether the person appointed prime minister must first take the oath as an MP. However, Padma Prasad Pande, Secretary General of the Federal Parliament Secretariat, told that the president can appoint the prime minister before Parliament’s first session if the candidate has a clear majority.
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