The intra-party rift within the Nepali Congress has taken a new turn after the Supreme Court ordered that the hearing on the party's internal dispute be restarted from the beginning.
A bench comprising Chief Justice Dr. Manoj Kumar Sharma and Justices Nityananda Pandey and Shrikant Paudel ruled that the Election Commission's decision should undergo judicial review again because it had upheld the decision on the party's special general convention without giving the Deuba faction an opportunity to present its case. The ruling has reignited debate within the Nepali Congress.
The party's establishment faction appears confident that it can produce all the necessary documents to establish the legitimacy of the special general convention. Meanwhile, leaders of the anti-establishment faction say they are confident that the court's decision will deliver justice.
However, the dispute within the party is more political than legal or constitutional. Regardless of the court's final verdict, the two factions will need to reach a political settlement if they want to preserve party unity. The rift, which began over the special general convention, continues to deepen, with the anti-establishment faction calling a meeting of its supporters to discuss the formation of a new political party.
For the first time since violence erupted in Sunsari and later spread to other parts of the country, Home Minister Sudan Gurung has appeared before Parliament. Addressing a meeting of the National Assembly, he responded to a series of questions from lawmakers. Members of the current government have generally been reluctant to appear before Parliament and engage with legislators.
Speaker Dol Prasad Aryal has instructed lawmakers not to wear black sunglasses during parliamentary sessions. The directive comes as Prime Minister Balendra Shah and several government ministers have frequently been seen wearing dark sunglasses in the House.
Leaders of the Nepali Congress have said that former Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba is expected to return home on August 11 after completing his medical treatment. The Deuba family is currently facing money laundering allegations, with the government issuing arrest warrants for his spouse and son. Earlier, in a press statement, Deuba alleged that the current government could use state institutions to pursue political revenge against him.
Editor, Kamal Dev Bhattarai
