Prime Minister Oli sworn in

President Bidhya Devi Bhandari administers the oath of office and secrecy to newly appointed Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli at a special ceremony held at Rashtrapati Bhawan, Shital Niwas on Friday. Photo Courtesy: Rashtriya Samachar Samiti

Kathmandu: Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli has taken oath of office and secrecy. Prime Minister Oli has been sworn in by President Bidhya Devi Bhandari after the opposition parties failed to form a coalition government.

The newly appointed ministers have also been sworn in at a special ceremony held at the President’s Office, Sheetal Niwas today. Prime Minister Oli has appointed the old ministers saying that he will add a new person to the cabinet only after the Janata Samajwadi Party comes to power.

After failing to get a vote of confidence through a special session of the House of Representatives last Monday, President Bhandari had given time till 9 pm yesterday to form a majority government. After a three-day deadline to form a majority government, President Bhandari reappointed Oli as prime minister, the largest party in parliament.

According to Article 76 (3) of the Constitution, Prime Minister Oli, who has been appointed as the Prime Minister, now has a constitutional provision to take a vote of confidence within 30 days. If Prime Minister Oli fails to get a vote of confidence in the parliament within the next 30 days, the process of forming a government will begin again in accordance with Article 76 (5) of the Constitution.

Clause 5 of Article 76 provides that the President may appoint a member of the House of Representatives if the Prime Minister fails to obtain a vote of confidence. But even the prime minister appointed under Article 5 should be able to take a vote of confidence. If that doesn’t happen, the country will go under the polls.