Koshi Province: Supreme Court dismiss Kedar Karki’s writ petition, Hikmat Karki continues as Chief Minister

Kathmandu: The Supreme Court has dismissed the outgoing  Koshi Province Chief Minister Kedar Karki’s filed petition.

Court Justices Kumar Regmi, Nahkul Subedi and Abdul Aziz Muslim dismissed the writ on Tuesday.  The appointment process of Hikmat Karki as Chief Minister has been approved with the cancellation of Kedar’s writ.

Hikmat will continue as Chief Minister, with the end of the constitutional dispute. There was a new exercise in the Koshi Province after the change in the government.

Earlier, the CPN(UML) and CPN(Maoist Centre) withdrew their support to the government. At that time they expected Kedar Karki to take a vote of confidence or to resign, however, it didn’t happen.  Later on, CPN (UML) and CPN (Maoist Centre) passed the resolution in the provincial assembly, by directing Chief Minister Kedar Karki to take the vote of confidence. But Karki called it unconstitutional.

Likewise, Province Chief Parshuram Khapung published a statement on 8 May,2024  (Baishak 26, 2081) for submission of a claim to be Chief Minister as per article 168 (5 ) of the constitution, resulting in the dismissal of Karki as Chief Minister.

CPN(UML) Hikmat Karki submitted a claim to be Chief  Minister on 9 May (Baishak 27 ) . He was appointed Chief Minister on the same day.

Kedar Karki filed a petition in the Supreme Court seeking the cancellation of Hikmat Karki’s appointment as Chief Minister. But the Court dismissed the Karki’s writ on Tuesday.