KATHMANDU: Seven ministers and one minister of state appointed by President Bidya Devi Bhandari on the recommendation of Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli were sworn in on Thursday afternoon. They took the oath of office and secrecy at the President’s Office, Sheetal Niwas.
The President’s Office said in a statement on Thursday that the president had appointed ministers and ministers of state in various ministries on the recommendation of the prime minister.
“The President Bidya Devi Bhandari has constituted the Council of Ministers under the leadership of the Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli on the recommendation of the Prime Minister in accordance with the Constitution of Nepal,” the statement reads.
The newly appointed ministers are Khaga Raj Adhikari (Home Minister), Raj Kishore Yadav (Industry, Commerce and Supplies), Nain Kala Thapa (Communications and Information Technology), Jwala Kumari Sah (Agriculture and Livestock Development), Narad Muni Rana (Forest and Environment), Ganesh Kumar Pahadi (Federal Affairs and General Administration) and Mohan Bania (Prime Minister and Council of Ministers).
Communications Minister Thapa is the wife of former Home Minister Ram Bahadur Thapa.
Similarly, Asha Kumari BK has been appointed Minister of State in the Ministry of Forest and Environment.
At the swearing in ceremony, President, Prime Minister and other dignitaries including Chief Justice, Chairman of National Assembly were present. But Vice President Nanda Bahadur Pun and Speaker Agni Sapkota were absent in the program.
The President has appointed KP Sharma Oli as the Prime Minister on May 14, 2021 as the leader of the largest party in parliament.
However, this is the second time Oli has dissolved the parliament and reshuffled the cabinet, saying he could not get a majority in parliament.
Opposition parties have stated the reshuffling the cabinet was illegal and against the spirit of the constitution.
A writ petition filed by the lawmakers of the opposition alliance for the restoration of the parliament is being heard in the Constitutional Court of the Supreme Court.
