Kathmandu, July 13
Newly appointed Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba has taken the oath of office and secrecy from President Bidya Devi Bhandari on Tuesday evening.
President Bhandari had appointed the Nepali Congress leader to the position this afternoon. Earlier on Monday, the Supreme Court had ordered his appointment while reinstating the House of Representatives dissolved by his predecessor KP Sharma Oli.
Meanwhile, other members of the cabinet also took the oath from the president. Here is the detail of the ministers sworn-in today:
- Bal Krishna Khand: Minister for Home Affairs
- Gyanendra Bahadur Karki: Minister for Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs
- Pampha Bhusal: Minister for Energy, Water Resources and Irrgiation
- Janardan Sharma: Minister for Finance
Of the new ministers, Khand and Karki represent Deuba’s own party whereas Sharma and Bhusal are leaders of the coalition partner, CPN-Maoist Centre.
Deuba is expected to give a full shape to the cabinet, also inducting some leaders from the Janata Samjbadi Party Nepal, in the next few days.
Oath delayed by over two hours
Meanwhile, the oath ceremony, scheduled for 6 pm, was delayed by over two hours as Deuba expressed his dissatisfaction with the president over the President’s Office statement about his appointment.
The statement issued this afternoon had not mentioned the article of the constitution, according to which the premier was appointed. Constitutional experts had objected to the statement and told Deuba not to take the oath.
Accordingly, Deuba also objected to the statement and demanded its correction before the oath.
Later, the President’s Office agreed and made the correction.
