Why in news?
Nepal PM K.P. Sharma Oli recommended the President to dissolve the Parliament.
Why was the Parliament dissolved?
- Last week, ordinance was made by the PM to amend the Constitutional Council Act.
- The act will weaken the checks & balances in the system and empowers the PM to make crucial appointments.
- So, the opposition and other leaders within the ruling party demanded to withdraw the ordinance.
- Earlier he agreed to withdraw the ordinance but later he decided to dissolve the Parliament.
What will happen now?
- Nepal’s Constitution allows for dissolving the House before its five-year term only if there is a hung assembly.
- Now this decision will be challenged in the Supreme Court.
- If Supreme Court agrees with the decision, elections will be held a year ahead of schedule.
What is the root cause for this crisis?
- Mr. Oli’s Communist Party of Nepal (UML) and its alliance came to power in 2017 with a huge majority.
- Within a year, CPN-UML and CPI (Maoist Centre) merged to form Nepal Communist Party (NCP).
- This merger provided opportunity to steer the country towards democracy from many crises.
- But fundamental differences aroused between the NCP’s two factions.
- Mr. Oli’s had an authoritarian drive & refused to share power with the Maoist faction.
- In recent months, there were also calls from the party for Mr. Oli to step down.
- If this crises continues, split cannot be ruled out.
- This might push Nepal back to political instability amid slowing economy & Coronavirus crisis.
Source: The Hindu
