Two Far-Western ministers, Bhatt and Chaudhary, resign

Dhangadhi: The posts of two ministers from the far west have been vacated.

Industry Minister Lekhraj Bhatt and Labor Minister Gauri Shankar Chaudhary have been relieved of their ministerial posts.

The Supreme Court has ruled that the continuation of seven ministers in the last cabinet of Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli is unconstitutional even after the UML did not return to the UCPN (M) after the March 7 ruling and the parliamentary seat was revoked.

A single bench of Chief Justice Cholendra Shamsher Jabra has revoked the re-appointment of seven ministers who are not members of the former federal parliament as per Article 78 of the constitution, saying that they can be ministers for a maximum of six months at a time.

After a preliminary hearing on the writ petition filed by advocates Kapil Dev Dhakal and Biraj Thapa, the bench of Chief Justice Rana ruled that Oli could be a minister for six months at a time and in the meantime he would automatically resign if he was not a member of the federal parliament.

Along with the order, Rana has also explained Article 78 of the constitution. Following the order, Far-Western Industries Minister Lekhraj Bhatt and Labor Minister Gauri Shankar Chaudhary have also been relieved of their posts. He will now be able to become a minister only after being elected to the House of Representatives or the National Assembly.

A previous writ petition alleging that the appointment of seven ministers, including him, was unconstitutional was also passed in Rana's session. However, at that time, Rana had sent the writ petitioner to a full hearing saying that he had not sought an interim order