As Nepal’s new government, led by Balendra Shah, a 35-year-old former Mayor of Kathmandu, completed its first 100 days in office, two incidents within 48 hours laid bare the widening gap between its promises of reform and the realities of governance.

On July 9, a ride-hailing driver self-immolated following an altercation with the city police over a parking dispute. The 25-year-old died the following day while undergoing treatment. A day later, a holding centre sheltering squatters and landless people after their eviction from Kathmandu’s riversides was inundated by monsoon rains.

The incidents have fuelled public anger against the majority government, with protests flaring up in Kathmandu and elsewhere. Critics say they expose administrative failures, poor planning and an increasingly high-handed style of governance.

The Shah administration now finds itself confronting many of the same questions that dogged its predecessor before last year’s Gen Z protests, which ultimately swept Mr. Shah into office.

Formed on March 27 after the Rastriya Swatantra Party’s landslide victory in the March 5 elections, triggered by last year’s youth uprising, the government came to power promising reform, accountability and good governance. But analysts say it has failed to deliver on those promises.

Anurag Acharya, a political commentator, said the administration is increasingly mirroring the erstwhile KP Sharma Oli government, arguing that Prime Minister Shah has exhibited similar authoritarian tendencies.

“This government’s disconnect with the public is stark,” Mr. Acharya said. “While its performance on all fronts has been dismal, it is targeting critics, the media and civil society. Early signs are not good.”

The criticism has been amplified by Mr. Shah’s public silence. Known for his one-way communication style since his days as Kathmandu mayor — largely through social media — he has made just one public address and delivered only one speech in Parliament during his first 100 days in office.

Mr. Shah has remained silent on both issues that have triggered public anger—the death of the ride-hailing driver and the plight of evicted squatters.

On Tuesday (July 14), Opposition lawmakers accused the government of failing in its fundamental responsibility to protect the vulnerable and the excluded. Niscal Rai, whip of the main Opposition Nepali Congress, referred to Prime Minister Shah as “Shri 8” — an allusion to the honorific “Shri 5”, once reserved for Nepal’s monarchs before the country became a federal republic — suggesting a growing intolerance towards criticism, dissent and scrutiny.

What began as criticism of the government’s handling of two recent crises has increasingly widened into concerns over shrinking civic space, with activists, Opposition leaders and the media alleging intimidation and suppression of dissent.

On July 11, police arrested youth activists after they called attention to the government’s mishandling of evicted landless families. Majid Ansari, a lawyer and Gen Z activist, was injured during the police action and is undergoing treatment.

In a Facebook post from his hospital bed, he wrote: “I have not been informed about the reason for my arrest so far, nor have I been shown any arrest warrant. There is no clarity about the legal status of my arrest either.”

Amnesty International has called for his immediate and unconditional release.

“This arbitrary detention of activists simply for expressing solidarity with victims of forced eviction has raised serious concerns over violations of the rights to freedom of expression, peaceful assembly, liberty and security of person, signalling an alarming threat to civic space in Nepal,” said Nirajan Thapaliya, Director of Amnesty International Nepal.

“The majority of the Ministers in the current government came to power on the back of Gen Z protests in September 2025. They vehemently advocated for the right to protest and freedom of expression, and against police repression while pledging to hold law enforcement accountable for the crackdown during the September protests. It’s deplorable that within four months of taking office, the government is now forgetting its commitment and is using the same repressive tactics as its predecessor to unlawfully target young activists peacefully expressing their dissent.”

Concerns over shrinking civic space deepened further on July 13 after unattended vehicles were left outside the gates of three leading media houses in Kathmandu. One of the vehicles was parked outside the gates of Kantipur Media Group, the country’s largest media company, blocking the entry and exit of other vehicles. It was later found to belong to a member of the ruling Rastriya Swatantra Party.

Parliamentarians on Tuesday (July 14) took up the issue, describing the incidents of unattended vehicles blocking media houses as an attempt to silence criticism.

Ramesh Malla of the Nepali Communist Party alleged that such acts were carried out by people backed by the state.

“If those in positions of power have understood that they can govern by creating an environment of fear, they are completely wrong,” he said in Parliament on Tuesday. “Those who gave the mandate to govern could launch a big movement to take the mandate back.”

Concerns over the government’s commitment to democratic norms were evident from the early days. Yet, it continued to get the benefit of the doubt because the public, frustrated with years of misgovernance and corruption, had placed its trust in the new administration.

Last year’s Gen Z protests were sparked by the Oli government’s sudden decision to ban social media. The movement, however, soon evolved into a broader demand for accountability, good governance and better public service delivery.

For a government that rode a wave of public anger against the old political order and promised a decisive break from it, the first 100 days have instead been marked by allegations of administrative failures, shrinking civic space and an increasingly confrontational approach to criticism. The questions that helped bring Mr. Shah to power are now being asked of his own administration.

“There is an utter disregard for checks and balances,” said Mr. Acharya. “There’s neither governance nor any respect for democratic norms. It’s like out of the frying pan into the fire.”

Published – July 14, 2026 04:59 pm IST

Balendra Shah, a rapper-turned-politician and the prime ministerial candidate for Rastriya Swatantra Party.
| Photo Credit: Reuters

Richard Verma. File
| Photo Credit: The Hindu

U.S. Deputy Secretary of State for Management and Resources Richard Verma on Friday (August 16, 2024) met Nepal Prime Minister K. P. Sharma Oli and Foreign Minister Dr. Arzu Rana Deuba and discussed various aspects of the bilateral ties, including development cooperation and mutual interests.

Mr. Verma, an Indian-American diplomat, is the senior-most official from the Joe Biden administration to visit Nepal since a change of government, in Nepal, and Mr. Oli assumed charge as the Prime Minister last month.

Editorial | ​Unprincipled alliances: On politics in Nepal

Mr. Verma, who is on a one-day visit to Nepal, met Mr. Oli at Singha Durbar where discussions were held on bilateral relations and mutual interests.

“The Prime Minister expressed gratitude for the continuous support provided by the U.S. government in Nepal’s economic and social development since the 1950s and hoped for continued support in various areas in the days ahead,” The Kathmandu Post newspaper quoted an official from the Prime Minister’s Secretariat as saying.

Mr. Oli informed Mr. Verma that Nepal is in the process of graduating from a least developed country (LDC) by 2026 and that the laws on transitional justice are being formulated based on political consensus.

“Mr. Verma recalled the over the two-decade-long relationship between the two countries, noting that it is a matter of pride for the United States to be a partner in Nepal’s development,” the Prime Minister’s Secretariat said.

“The senior U.S. official also congratulated Nepal on nearing the conclusion of its transitional justice process,” the report said. Mr. Verma, who is also scheduled to meet President Ram Chandra Paudel, earlier met Foreign Minister Dr. Arzu Rana Deuba.

“Deputy Secretary of State for Management and Resources of the United States Richard R. Verma paid a courtesy call on Foreign Minister Dr. Arzu Rana Deuba today. Various aspects of Nepal-U.S. relations, including development cooperation, were discussed in the meeting,” Nepal’s Foreign Ministry said.

“He is leading U.S. delegations to Nepal and India to “advance and support a prosperous, secure, and resilient future for both countries,” a U.S. State Department statement had said ahead of his visit.

Soon after landing at the Tribhuvan International Airport, Mr. Verma posted on X: “Kicking off this trip in Nepal with an amazing glimpse of the majestic Himalayas! Looking forward to engaging with Government of Nepal officials and others to strengthen U.S. and Nepal partnership in support of a more democratic, prosperous, inclusive, and resilient Nepal,” he added in the post.

“Apart from Rana Deuba, the delegation will meet with senior government officials, development professionals, and business leaders to discuss shared priorities in economic development, women’s empowerment, energy, and people-to-people ties,” the State Department statement said.

Earlier, Dean R. Thompson, the U.S. Ambassador to Nepal, welcomed him at the U.S. Embassy in Kathmandu and then accompanied him in the formal meetings with “Nepal government officials, implementing partners, trailblazing women entrepreneurs, and our Embassy team. His (Verma’s) visit highlights our commitment to strong U.S.-Nepal bilateral relations, with the United States firmly supporting Nepal’s people, democracy, and economic prosperity,” Mr.. Thompson said in a post on X.

Mr. Verma also met the Embassy team and appreciated their work in what he described as “to advance U.S.-Nepal relations.” He also met the U.S. Marine Security Guard Detachment “to thank them for their dedicated service,” he said in yet another post. Mr. Verma will head to India for a visit from August 17 to 22.

Nepal’s former Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli.
| Photo Credit: Reuters

K P Sharma Oli was appointed Nepal’s Prime Minister for the third time on July 14 to lead the new coalition government that faces the daunting challenge of providing political stability in the country.

Mr. Oli, 72, succeeds Pushpa Kamal Dahal Prachanda who lost the vote of confidence in the House of Representatives on July 12, leading to the formation of the new government process as per Article 76 (2) of the Constitution.

President Ram Chandra Paudel appointed Oli as the new Prime Minister of the Communist Party of Nepal-Unified Marxist Leninist (CPN-UML)-Nepali Congress (NC) coalition.

Mr. Oli along with the new Cabinet will be sworn in on July 15.

Late on July 12 night, Mr. Oli staked his claim to become the next Prime Minister with the backing of NC president Sher Bahadur Deuba and submitted the signatures of 165 House of Representatives (HoR) members — 77 from his party and 88 from the NC.

Mr. Oli served as Nepal’s Prime Minister from October 11, 2015, to August 3, 2016 and then, from February 5, 2018, to July 13, 2021.

Kathmandu:

Nepal Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’ on Friday lost a vote of confidence in Parliament after the Communist Party of Nepal-Unified Marxist Leninist (CPN-UML) withdrew its support for his government.

Prachanda, 69, received 63 votes in the 275-member House of Representatives (HoR). There were 194 votes against the motion.

At least 138 votes are needed to win the vote of trust.

Prachanda has survived four trust votes since he assumed the post on December 25, 2022.

Former prime minister K P Sharma Oli-led CPN-UML withdrew support from the Prachanda-led government last week after inking a power-sharing deal with the largest party in the House – Nepali Congress.

Nepali Congress President Sher Bahadur Deuba has already endorsed Oli as the next prime minister.

The Nepali Congress has 89 seats in the HoR, while CPN-UML has 78 seats. Their combined strength of 167 is much more than the 138 required for a majority in the lower house

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

Nepal’s Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal, also known as Prachanda. File
| Photo Credit: Reuters

Embattled Nepal Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’ has decided not to resign from the post despite an agreement reached between the country’s largest parties – Nepali Congress and CPN-UML – to form a new coalition government.

In a meeting of the Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist Centre) office-bearers held in Baluwatar on Tuesday, Prime Minister Prachanda said he would rather face a vote of confidence in Parliament than resign from the post, the party Secretary Ganesh Shah told PTI.

“The Prime Minister has decided to seek a vote of confidence,” said Mr. Shah.

Mr. Prachanda, 69, has won three votes of confidence in Parliament during his one-and-a-half-year term.

The development came after Nepali Congress President Sher Bahadur Deuba and the Communist Party of Nepal-Unified Marxist Leninist (CPN-UML) chairman K.P. Sharma Oli inked a midnight power-sharing deal to form a new ‘national consensus government’ to replace the Prachanda-led coalition government.

Also read | Nepal’s coalition politics, a game of musical chairs 

Nepali Congress, the largest party in the House of Representatives (HoR) has 89 seats at present, while CPN-UML has 78 seats. The combined strength of the two large parties is 167, which is sufficient for a majority of 138 seats in the 275-member HoR.

Mr. Deuba, 78 and Mr. Oli, 72, agreed to share the Prime Ministerial position on a rotation basis for the rest of the term of the Parliament.

Meanwhile, the talks between Prime Minister Prachanda and CPN-UML chief Oli to save the current coalition also failed, according to Maoist sources.

Quoting PM Prachanda, Mr. Shah said that a conspiracy has been hatched to topple the coalition government and create instability in the country.

The conspiracy came at a time when the government focused on ending corruption and introducing good governance, he said.

As per the constitutional provision, the prime minister will have 30 days to seek a vote of confidence in the House of Representatives, which would give PM Prachanda some time for political manoeuvring.

“We will engage in discussions with various parties, including the Rashtriya Swatantra Party (RSP), Nepali Congress, and CPN-UML, so as to save the coalition,” PM Prachanda was quoted as saying.

Nepali Congress President Deuba briefed party officials about the agreement with the CPN-UML during a meeting of office bearers at his residence in Budhanilkantha on Tuesday morning, according to party sources.

Mr. Deuba discussed the initial power-sharing deal reached with CPN-UML, explaining that the leadership of the government formed under this agreement would alternate between the two parties.

In the meantime, the RSP, one of the key ruling coalition partners, has decided not to participate in the new alliance between the Nepali Congress and the CPN-UML.

During a secretariat meeting on Tuesday, the party also decided to withdraw from the current government, party sources said.

The party currently enjoys 21 seats in the House of Representatives.

Nepal has had 13 governments in the last 16 years, indicating the fragile nature of the Himalayan nation’s political system.

In a dramatic political development, Nepal’s two largest parties — Nepali Congress and CPN-UML — have inked a midnight power-sharing deal to form a new ‘national consensus government’ to replace the coalition government led by Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal “Prachanda.”

Nepali Congress President Sher Bahadur Deuba and Communist Party of Nepal-Unified Marxist Leninist (CPN-UML) chairman and former prime minister K.P. Sharma Oli, reached an understanding on forming a new coalition on Monday midnight, according to former foreign minister Narayan Prakash Saud.

Mr. Deuba, 78 and Mr. Oli, 72, agreed to share the Prime Ministerial position on a rotation basis for the rest of the term of the Parliament, said Mr. Saud, who is also a Nepali Congress central member.

Nepali Congress, the largest party in the House of Representatives (HoR) has 89 seats at present while CPN-UML has 78 seats. The combined strength of the two large parties is 167, which is sufficient for a majority of 138 seats in the 275-member HoR.

The two leaders also met on Saturday to lay the ground for a potential new political alliance between the two parties, following which Mr. Oli’s CPN-UML ended its association with the Prachanda-led government barely four months after extending support to it.

Sharing premiership

Under the agreement that is likely to be finalised on Tuesday, the CPN-UML chief Mr. Oli will lead the government in the first phase of the remaining term of Parliament. The two leaders have agreed to share the premiership for one and a half years, turn by turn, Mr. Saud said.

The two leaders tentatively agreed to form a new government, amend the Constitution, and work out a power-sharing formula, which they reportedly shared with a few confidants, media reports said, quoting multiple senior leaders from both parties.

Nepal has had 13 governments in the last 16 years, indicating the fragile nature of the Himalayan nation’s political system.

The ministers belonging to the CPN-UML in the Prachanda-led Cabinet are likely to resign en-mass in the afternoon, sources close to the CPN-UML said.

CPN-UML secretary Shanker Pokharel has told media persons that an agreement was reached with the Nepali Congress to form a national government led by Mr. Oli, a former prime minister.

The new government will be formed to maintain political stability in the country and make necessary amendments to the Constitution.

Prachanda holds talks

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Prachanda is holding talks with CPN-UML chief Mr. Oli to discuss the latest political developments, according to sources close to the CPN-Maoist Centre.

“Prachanda is not going to resign from the post at this moment. Nothing can be said before the talk being held between Prachanda and Oli concludes,” said Ganesh Shah, CPN-Maoist Centre secretary.

According to the agreement reached, during Mr. Oli’s tenure, the CPN-UML will take control of ministries, including the Prime Minister’s position and the Finance Ministry. Similarly, the Nepali Congress will oversee ten ministries, including the Home Ministry, MyRepublica news portal reported.

According to the agreement, the CPN-UML will lead provincial governments in Koshi, Lumbini and Karnali provinces and the Nepali Congress will lead the provincial governments of Bagmati, Gandaki and Sudurpaschim provinces.

Mr. Oli and Mr. Deuba have also agreed to involve Madhes-based parties in leading Madhesh Province and have committed to constitutional amendments.

The draft agreement was prepared by a four-member task force, The Kathmandu Post newspaper reported.

It will detail the power-sharing arrangement, propose amendments to the Constitution, review the electoral system, including proportional representation, change national assembly arrangements, and discuss the size of provincial assemblies, according to a task force member.

Differences

Differences between Mr. Oli and Prime Minister Prachanda had been steadily building, and Oli was unhappy with the recent budget allocations made by the government for the fiscal year 2024-25, which he had publicly spoken about.

Worried by the closed-door meeting between Mr. Deuba and Mr. Oli, Mr. Prachanda had gone to meet Mr. Oli to assure that the government is serious about addressing issues raised by CPN-UML, including its concern about the new budget, observers said.

During their meeting on Monday morning, Mr. Oli reportedly requested Mr. Prachanda to support him by stepping down, the report said.

Mr. Prachanda offered Mr. Oli the post of prime minister within the current ruling coalition, which the latter turned down, expressing his desire to lead a consensus government, a CPN-UML leader was quoted as saying.

Mr. Prachanda, 69, won three votes of confidence in Parliament during his one-and-a-half-year term.

Nepalese Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal, also known as Prachanda.
| Photo Credit: AFP

Nepal Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’ on Monday won a vote of confidence in Parliament, the fourth within 18 months of taking office, amidst sloganeering by the main Opposition Nepali Congress that abstained from the voting.

Mr. Prachanda, 69, a former guerilla leader from the Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist Centre) — the third largest party in the House of Representatives (HoR) — received 157 votes in the 275-member House of Representatives.

In total, 158 lawmakers took part in the voting. The main Opposition Nepali Congress boycotted the voting process and chanted slogans against Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister Rabi Lamichhane, accused of misappropriation of cooperative funds, leading to the delay in the session. One HoR member remained neutral.

Speaker Dev Raj Ghimire announced that Mr. Prachanda had won the floor test as he got a majority in the Parliament.

The vote comes days after one of the coalition partners, Janata Samajbadi Party (JSP), withdrew its support last week for his government while quitting the coalition government.  

Also read: Nepal politics, past, present, and future 

The government required at least 138 votes to win the vote of trust.  

Earlier, the voting had to be delayed due to obstructions caused by the Nepali Congress, which has been demanding the formation of a Parliamentary probe committee to investigate Mr. Lamichhane’s alleged involvement in the scam.  

This was the fourth time that Mr. Prachanda sought a vote of confidence in the House in less since he assumed prime ministership in December 2022.

According to constitutional provisions, a Prime Minister has to take a vote of confidence after an ally withdraws support to the ruling coalition.  

Earlier on March 13, Prime Minister Dahal won his third consecutive vote of confidence.

Last year, Mr. Prachanda faced a floor test after former Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli-led CPN-UML withdrew its support to the Prachanda-led government following a rift over backing the main opposition party’s candidate for the presidential poll.

Nepal’s Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal.
| Photo Credit: REUTERS

Nepal Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’ has exuded confidence that he would win the trust vote in the House of Representatives on Monday, days after a coalition partner withdrew its support for his government.

Mr. Prachanda, 69, a former guerilla leader, belongs to the Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist Centre), the third largest party in the House of Representatives (HoR).

He will seek a vote of confidence in Parliament, the fourth within 18 months of taking office, amidst obstruction of the House proceedings by the Opposition Nepali Congress demanding a probe into the alleged involvement of Home Minister Rabi Lamichhane in the misappropriation of cooperative funds.

“There is no doubt that my government will survive the floor test,” Prime Minister Prachanda said at a ruling party’s programme in Kathmandu on Saturday.

“The differences between the ruling alliance and opposition parties will be sorted out through dialogue,” he said.

The Prime Minister is required to take a vote of confidence within 30 days if the party the Prime Minister is representing splits or if a member of the coalition government withdraws support. The Janata Samajbadi Party (JSP) withdrew its support last week while quitting the coalition government.

This will be Prime Minister Prachanda’s fourth vote of confidence within one and a half years after he assumed the top executive position on December 25, 2022.

The new government requires at least 138 votes in the 275-member House of Representatives to win the vote of trust.

Earlier on March 13, Prime Minister Dahal won his third consecutive vote of confidence.

Last year, Mr. Prachanda faced a floor test after former Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli-led CPN-UML withdrew its support to the Prachanda-led government following a rift over backing the main opposition party’s candidate for the presidential poll.

Mr. Prachanda’s support has notably declined in successive confidence votes. In January 2023, he obtained 268 votes, followed by 172 in March of the same year. His support further dwindled to just 157 votes in the third-floor test.

Currently, the ruling coalition holds a majority with 77 seats of the CPN-UML, 32 of the Maoist Centre, 21 of the Rastriya Swatantra Party, seven of the newly formed Janata Samajbadi Party and 10 seats of the CPN-Unified Socialist (CPN-US).

Meanwhile, the major political parties have agreed to form a panel to look into the misappropriation of fund by cooperatives.

The Janata Samajbadi Party-Nepal (JSP-N), one of the coalition partners in Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal Prachanda-led government, has split after a majority of its lawmakers and over two dozen central committee members applied for a new party at the Election Commission of Nepal.

A faction of the JSP-N led by the party’s federal council chair Ashok Rai registered the application for a new party while the party’s chair Deputy Prime Minister Upendra Yadav, who is also Minister for health and population, is on a trip abroad.

Pradip Yadav, a lawmaker of the JSP-N, said that 29 central committee members and seven lawmakers have jointly applied to form a new party. Of the party’s 12 House of Representatives members, seven — Ashok Rai, Sushila Sherstha, Pradip Yadav, Nawal Kishor Sah, Ranju Kumari Jha, Birendra Mahato and Hasina Khan — have supported the new party named ‘Janata Samajbadi Party’ (without the ‘Nepal’ of the mother party).

The Election Commission on May 6 officially recognised the Ashok Rai-led Janata Samajbadi Party (JSP) as a new political party.

Party insiders said that Mr. Rai registered the new party at the advice of Prime Minister Prachanda to counter Mr. Yadav, whose relations with the ruling alliance have soured lately. There are reports Mr. Yadav was trying to ally with the Opposition Nepali Congress and the ruling party alliance CPN-Unified Socialist-led by Madhav Kumar Nepal after NC President Sher Bahadur Deuba reportedly offered the Prime Minister’s post to Mr. Yadav to topple the Prachanda-led government.

However, the ruling coalition consisting of the CPN-UML led by K. P. Sharma Oli and the CPN (Maoist Center) has managed to maintain a narrow majority in the Parliament with the latest political developments.

Leaders of the Ashok Rai-led faction claimed they had to revolt against the party leadership as Mr. Yadav was running the party in an autocratic way. “The chair ran the party unilaterally and disrespected lawmakers,” Mr. Pradip said.

Forest and Environment Minister Nawal Kishor Sah Sudi, who also quit the party, claimed that the need for a new outfit was felt after the chair tried to break the ruling coalition.

“We took this decision for the stability of the incumbent government,” Mr. Sudi said. “The party chair (Mr. Yadav) is against this coalition but we will continue to support this government.” “However, the party establishment’s leaders said the party has not split. Just a dissident faction has parted ways,” they claimed.

The split in the JSP-N will not affect the government’s stability at the moment, said Central Member of CPN-Maoist Centre Sunil Kumar Manandhar, who is also the former Minister for Environment amidst speculations that it might affect the coalition government.

“Unless the CPN-Unified Socialist and JSP-N withdraw support from the government there is no need to seek a vote of confidence by the Prachanda government,” Manandhar added. “Lawmakers alone don’t make a party. A majority of party leaders are with us,” said Manish Suman, the party spokesperson.

He added that less than 20% of the 300-strong central committee had left the party. The split follows a long-standing discontent in the party. Only after the pressure from the other faction, had the establishment side been ready to hold its general convention.

Mohammad Istiyak Rai, a leader of the party, had decided to challenge Mr. Yadav, the party chair, in the upcoming general elections. However, the party split before the convention could be held.

Rajendra Shrestha has been named the federal council chair of the yet-to-be-legalised party, which has announced a 31-member central committee. Rai is the chairperson while Renu Yadav has been named the joint chair. The party has four vice-chairpersons, a general secretary, deputy general secretaries and secretaries, among others.

Though the Rai-led faction has sought recognition as a new party under the Political Party Act, there are no clear legal provisions to guide the party formation process after a split in an existing one.

On August 18, 2021, the then Sher Bahadur Deuba government issued an ordinance to amend the Act to ease the split of two parties — the CPN-UML and the Janata Samajbadi Party.

Revising a provision in the Act, which requires the support of 40% of members in the Parliamentary party and the central committee to split the party, the ordinance lowered the bar to 20% in either of the committees.

On August 26 of the same year, Madhav Kumar Nepal of the UML and Mahantha Thakur of the Janata Samajbadi Party registered new parties, the CPN (Unified Socialist) and the Loktantrik Samajbadi Party, respectively. Two days later, the ordinance was repealed, having served its purpose.

The provisions amended by the ordinance have become void after it was repealed. Though a bill to reactivate those provisions of the Act has been registered in Parliament, it is yet to be endorsed.

“We have received the application (on new party registration),” said Ram Prasad Bhandari, an election commissioner. “A proper decision will be taken after evaluating the existing legal provisions.” Before the split, in the 275-member federal lower house, the ruling coalition had 154 seats — 16 more than the magic number of 138.

Among them, the CPN-UML has 79 seats (including the Speaker and one suspended lawmaker), the CPN (Maoist Centre) has 32, the Rashtriya Swatantra Party has 21, the JSP-N has 12 seats and the CPN (Unified Socialist) has 10 seats. s