Politics takes a new course
The Constitutional Bench in the Supreme Court has reinstated the House of Representatives Tuesday afternoon (23 February) disqualifying Prime Minister K.P. Sharma Oli’s action on the dissolution of the House.
The Supreme Court verdict has avoided the trouble to face fresh mandate by the lawmakers, eventually, it has paved the way for dirty games and horse-trading in the Parliament.
The court verdict, so far, will encourage political anomalies, which, in the long-run, will not benefit the existing political system. Nevertheless, the competition between the two factions of the Nepal Communist Party in organizing mass assemblies and demonstrating mass in support of them has been ended, which has given a big relief to the commoners.
What Next?:
Along with the Supreme Court verdict, it was expected that PM Oli would tender resignation. He has not yet tendered resignation. Therefore, it seems, he has wished to face a no-confidence motion in the House. According to the SC directive, the House session should resume within 13 days of the SC verdict. As leaders in the Oli faction of the NCP have opined that they respect the Court order, it is believed that Oli will not create a hurdle in resuming the House session.
End of Oli era?:
The Election Commission has not yet accepted a split in NCP, however,
the Dahal-Nepal faction has already terminated Oli from the party. To split the party formally and announce a new party, Oli may face a technical problem, on the other hand, he cannot stay with the Dahal-Nepal faction anymore.
There is a crisis from all sides before Oli, still, if he will be able to manage alliance with the Nepali Congress, he may get relief. Otherwise, if the Dahal-Nepal faction will develop an alliance with the NC, in that case, Oli’s political demise is likely. Also, President Bidya Devi Bhandari may face impeachment.
Since the restoration of the House, the Nepali Congress has emerged as the kingmaker in the House. Perhaps, the party may get a chance to form a collation government under its leadership.
Nonfunctional Loktantra:
Pushpakamal Dahal and Madhav Nepal are seen happy from the Court decision in favour of them. Overnight, they were thrown away to the street. They suffered a lot in the last two months since the dissolution of the House. They were compelled to stage sit-in in the streets. The Court decision has given great relief to Dahal and Nepal.
Accordingly, Baburam Bhattarai has felt that the Court has saved the “loktantra”. Four ex-chief justices in the Supreme Court, who had issued a statement to influence the Court decision, are also seen very happy from the Court verdict. Among others, Gagan Thapa like leaders is seen as happy. In fact, the European Union is happy with the Court’s decision.
Nevertheless, stopping the political parties from obtaining fresh people’s mandate has encouraged the syndicate system in Parliament. Also, the Court has curtailed the prime minister’s prerogative under a Westminster model.
Be that as it may, there will be enough horsetrading, yet, the democracy cannot function as we have already experienced such a scenario in the Parliament when the Court had restored the House dissolved by the then PM Manmohan Adhikary.