Kathmandu (TIP): Nepal‘s embattled Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli on June 17 defended his government’s controversial decision to dissolve the House of Representatives and told the Supreme Court that it was not up to the judiciary to appoint a premier as it cannot undertake the legislative and the executive functions of the state. President Bidya Devi Bhandari, at the recommendation of Prime Minister Oli, dissolved the lower house for the second time in five months on May 22 and announced snap elections on November 12 and November 19. Prime Minister Oli is heading a minority government after losing a trust vote in the House.

On June 9, the apex court issued a show-cause notice to the Office of Prime Minister and the President’s Office to furnish a written response within 15 days. Furnishing a written reply to the Supreme Court on Thursday as demanded by the Constitutional Bench, Oli said the court could not appoint a Prime Minister as it could not undertake the legislative and the executive functions of the state. The apex court received Oli’s response via the Office of the Attorney General. “The court’s duty is to interpret the Constitution and the existing laws, it cannot play the role of legislative or executive bodies,” 69-year-old Oli said in his response. “Forming governments on the basis of parties is the fundamental characteristic of the parliamentary system and the Constitution does not imagine party-less practices,” he added. (PTI)