Supreme Court revokes Koshi Chief Minister's vote of confidence

KATHMANDU, Aug 24: The Supreme Court has revoked the vote of confidence received by the Koshi Chief Minister Uddhav Thapa.

The single bench of Justice Ishwar Prasad Khatiwada revoked the vote of confidence in the hearing on the writ filed against Uddhav Thapa's government.

In the hearing, the Supreme Court also ordered Chief Minister Thapa to work as the caretaker Chief Minister until the 1st of September.

The Supreme Court has given the case precedence as the matter of the Koshi government is yet to be fully resolved. The Supreme Court has scheduled a full hearing on the case for September 1.

UML leader Hikmat Kumar Karki had registered a case in the Supreme Court against Uddhav Thapa, the Chief Minister of Koshi Province, demanding an interim order to dismiss Thapa's government.

Karki demanded the Court to dismiss the government after Uddhav Thapa obtained the vote of confidence by allowing Speaker Israil Mansuri to participate in the voting.

He filed the case against the Province Chief Parshuram Khapung, Chief Minister Hikmat Kumar Karki, MP Israil Mansuri, Board Director MP Gita Timsina and the Provincial Assembly Secretariat.

It was demanded in the writ petition that Chief Minister Thapa's vote of confidence be revoked as he received the vote of confidence in an unconstitutional manner. Karki also demanded to appoint him as the Chief Minister in accordance with Clause (3) of Article 168 of the Constitution.