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The Supreme Court has denied interim order on a writ petition filed on leadership dispute of the Nepali Congress (NC).

A writ petition was filed against Election Commission's recognition of Gagan Thapa as the NC President elected from the special general convention.

A hearing was conducted in the single bench of Justice Sunil Kumar Pokharel on Tuesday. 

The group led by Sher Bahadur Deuba had challenged the Election Commission's decision to confer authenticity on Thapa-led NC, but the court denied interim order sought in favour of Deuba.

The Justice argued that the writ warranted a remedy of constitutional questions associated with politics via final hearing, so interim order was not necessary. 

Justice Pokharel, however, ordered written responses on the case, giving it a prior right of hearing within 15 days of submission of the written responses.  

Shravan Kumar Shrestha had lodged the petition as an authorized representative of NC leaders Deuba and Purna Bahadur Khadka against Thapa's election as NC President, arguing that the special convention and Election Commission's recognition of Thapa were illegal.

The Election Commission has formally recognized the working committee of the Nepali Congress led by Gagan Thapa.

A meeting of the Commission held on Friday granted official recognition to the Thapa-led committee, including authorization to use the party’s four-star flag and its election symbol, the tree.

With this decision, Thapa has officially become the President of the Nepali Congress.

Recently, a Special General Convention was held at Bhrikutimandap under the leadership of then General Secretaries Gagan Kumar Thapa and Bishwo Prakash Sharma.

The convention elected a new working committee under the headship of Thapa. 

Acting President of the Nepali Congress Purna Bahadur Khadka has called for a swift resolution to the disputes within the party, emphasizing the importance of adhering to past decisions and the precedents set by the Election Commission. 

Today, he visited the Commission accompanied by a majority of the office-bearers and members from the Central Committee elected from the party's 14th General Convention, where they submitted party documents and sought resolution of the ongoing issues. 

Khadka made it clear that any determination of Congress's official status that contradicts the Commission's previous decisions regarding party splits would be deemed invalid. 

In light of various news reports concerning Congress from multiple media sources, he presented a report to Acting Chief Election Commissioner Ram Prasad Bhandari, indicating that 885 convention delegates had retracted their signatures in relation to a special convention. 

Congress leader Dr Shekhar Koirala expressed optimism that the party's official status would be resolved through democratic processes and noted that the entire central committee was present to support this request. 

He pointed out that no commissioner could attain official status by initiating the election programme at Tundikhel, expressing confidence that the resolution of Congress's disputes would also follow similar principles. 

After receiving the submitted documents, Acting Chief Commissioner Bhandari remarked that the commission would reach a decision in accordance with legal standards and procedures, and he encouraged active involvement in all election activities.

A Central Working Committee (CWC) meeting of the Nepali Congress has begun in Sanepa, Lalitpur. 

The meeting, chaired by the party Acting President Purna Bahadur Khadka, is being attended by office-bearers and members of the Central Working Committee.

The schedule for election of a new leadership of the Nepali Congress party has been announced at the Special General Convention of the party underway in the federal capital.

The election committee formed under the Nepali Congress Special General Convention has set the time for candidate nominations until 9:15 am today. Remaining election procedures will come into effect immediately, shared coordinator of the election committee, senior advocate Sitaram KC.

In the election to be held as per the party's prevailing statute, voting will be held for the posts of one president, two vice presidents, two general secretaries, eight joint general secretaries and 121 central members. 

The election committee was formed under the coordination of senior advocate KC as per the provision of a five-member election committee in the working procedures made by the special general convention.

There are currently 4,635 general convention delegates eligible to vote for a new leadership of the party.

The Special General Convention being held at the joint initiative of General Secretaries Gagan Thapa and Biswaprakash Sharma is underway since January 11.

Originally scheduled to be held for two days, it was extended to basically allow time for negotiations with the establishment faction of the party, which was opposed to the special general convention called by more than the required 50 per cent of the general convention delegates.

The closed session of the Nepali Congress Special General Convention has formed a five-member election committee.

The election committee has been formed under the coordination of advocate Sitaram KC, dissolving the previous election committee.

The committee will determine the election procedures/guidelines and conduct the election.

The committee has been formed to take ahead the process of selecting new leadership from the general convention.

General Secretaries Gagan Thapa and Bishwo Prakash Sharma presented political and organizational reports in Monday’s closed session. 

A closed session of the Special General Convention (SGC) of the Nepali Congress endorsed the SGC Working Procedure, 2082 on Monday. 

The closed session going on at Bhrikutimandap in the federal capital proposed the dissolution of the existing Central Executive Committee. 

According to the endorsed document, the term of the Central Executive Committee elected by the 14th General Convention (Dec10–14, 2021) has already expired. 

The document further stated that a new Central Executive Committee will be elected until the 15th General Convention is convened.

As per the approved working procedure, the Party President shall chair the Special Central General Convention. 

In the absence of the President, the senior-most member present, based on age, shall preside over the session.

Likewise, for the facilitation and continuity of the closed session under the Special General Convention, a five-member presidium shall be elected.

The closed session of the Special General Convention of the Nepali Congress (NC) underway in Kathmandu endorsed the SGC working procedure–2082 on Monday. 

The two-day convention began on Sunday, and the closed session commenced earlier today.

During the closed session, General Secretary Bishwo Prakash Sharma presented a report titled “Nation changed, and NC to be changed: A new journey towards harmony and prosperity.” 

As many as 2,662 general convention representatives of the Nepali Congress have registered their names in favor of the special general convention (SGC) that began at Bhrikutimandap, Kathmandu.

Eight stalls were set up on the first day of the event organized by a faction of NC supporting SGC. 

The general convention representatives had begun registering their names in favor of the SGC since 9 am Sunday.

Event coordination committee coordinator Yubraj Pandey informed the number of leaders in favor of SGC from Koshi Province stood 425, while from Madhes Province 446, from Bagmati Province 432, from Gandaki Province 296, from Lumbini Province 398, from Karnali Province 134, from Sudurpaschim Province 148, and Kathmandu Valley (Kathmandu, Bhaktapur and Lalitpur) 178 and from sister organizations, well wishers and liaison committees 195.

The registration will resume from 8 am on Monday, it was informed. 

The Nepali Congress leaders, who are in favour of the party's special general convention, have called for the special general convention as per party's statute.

Organizing a press conference today, they shared that the special general convention will be held on January 11 and 12. 

The leaders determined that the special general convention was indispensable to make the NC strong, dynamic and in favor of the people in the existing difficult political scenario as well as to rebuild the party along with political policy making. 

Out of total general convention representatives, 54.58 percent (2,488) representatives had registered applications at the party office on October 15, 2025, demanding a special general convention. 

Though the Article 17 (1) of the party statute has clearly mentioned that the party's 15th general convention should be held within December 1, 2025, it was not held on the slated date, argued the leaders. 

There is a provision that a special general convention should be called within three months if 40 percent members of the general convention make written requests for the same. 

Central committee members--Ajay Babu Siwakoti, Pratima Gautam, Prakash Snehi, Devraj Chalise, Jagadish Narsingh KC, Subas Pokharel, Manoj Mani Achary, among others said no one has the right to neglect such demand.

They also urged all central general convention representatives to participate in the special  general convention

Nepali Congress (NC) has decided to forge alliance with other political parties in the National Assembly election to be held on January 25. 

A meeting of the NC Central Work Execution Committee today took the decision to this effect, informed party chief-secretary Krishna Prasad Paudel. 

In today's meeting, general secretary Gagan Kumar Thapa, assistant general secretaries, Farmullah Mansoor and Jeewan Pariyar gave their opinion. 

Paudel informed that the committee's meeting will resume at 9 am on Wednesday.

Nepali Congress has urged National Assembly Chairman  Narayan Prasad Dahal to immediately call a session of the upper house of the Federal Parliament. 

A team led by the Nepali Congress National Assembly Chief Whip Krishna Bahadur Rokaya today called on Chairman Dahal to inform him about the decision of the Congress Parliamentary Party and made this request.

National Assembly members Kamala Devi Pant, Kiran Babu Shrestha, Bishnu Sapkota and Padam Pariyar, among others, participated in the meeting.

Nepali Congress Parliamentary Party meeting held on December 25 had decided to urge the National Assembly Chair Dahal  to convene a session, stating that the House of Representatives, the lower house, was dissolved unconstitutionally amid the changed political situation in the country.

The party has demanded the immediate convening of a National Assembly session, saying such a meeting is necessary because the Assembly is the only active body within the sovereign federal parliament that represents the voice of the people.

Nepali Congress leader Chandra Bhandari has announced his candidacy for the post of President at the party's 15th general convention.

Bhandari announced his candidacy for the party President via social media on Wednesday, saying that he is ready to move ahead in line with the interests of the people, values of democracy, and organizational needs.

Earlier, General Secretary Gagan Thapa had announced his candidacy for the post of President.

Nepali Congress General Secretary Gagan Kumar Thapa has formally presented an additional proposal to the party’s Central Committee, urging immediate steps to hold the 15th General Convention before the upcoming general election scheduled for March 5. 

In his proposal presented before the party’s Central Committee meeting on Monday, Thapa argues that the country’s political landscape has fundamentally changed since the Sept 8–9 GenZ uprisal, making a timely convention essential for the party’s credibility and renewal.

According to Thapa, the situation before and after the GenZ-led protests, which toppled the previous coalition government led by KP Sharma Oli, dissolved parliament and paved the way for an interim administration, was “completely different.” He said the unexpected national crisis shattered the political ground the party had been standing on.

“After the Sept 8-9 upheaval, the party cannot move forward with regular activities,” Thapa states in his proposal. He adds that in the new context, political parties across the spectrum are preparing for elections with fresh strategies, new leadership, and reorganized structures.

Thapa notes the Nepali Congress’s historical tradition of navigating moments of crisis through national gatherings, such as Mahasamiti sessions, special conventions and general conventions. “We cannot abandon that tradition,” he says, stressing that the party must present voters with renewed policies, leadership, and a clear political message before facing the electorate.

He also criticizes the party leadership for halting convention-related work for the past 45 days, arguing that the delay weakened the party’s political position and prevented necessary interventions in national politics. “Had the party allowed convention preparations to proceed as proposed in September, lower-level conventions would already have been completed,” he says.

On Monday, the party presented a revised schedule to conclude the central-level convention within 45 days. As per the party’s decision, the 15th General Convention will be held on Jan 10–12. Thapa describes the timeline as “highly challenging” but insists that the party must compensate for the time lost due to internal disagreements.

Thapa references the signatures of more than 54 percent of Central Committee members who on Oct 15 formally demanded a special general convention under Article 17(2) of the party statute. “Their intention was clear: the party must hold a convention (regular or special) before participating in the general election,” he states. 

He maintains that the party cannot face the general election, or the people, without a new mandate from the general convention. “Public trust cannot be secured through internal assurances alone. Our accountability lies with the Nepali people.” 

He also warns that if the 15th General Convention cannot be held for any reason by January, the party should not wait until the month’s end. Instead, it should immediately decide to move toward a special general convention. “In that situation, the party will have no choice,” he concludes.

Nepali Congress leader Dr Shashanka Koirala has said that the timeline set for the party's General Convention is insufficient.

Speaking to the media in Chitwan today, he stressed that at least three months of preparation are necessary to organize the General Convention. 

“The time is not sufficient for the event. If it is not possible to hold it within the stipulated timeframe, it will take place after the election announced for March 5, 2026,” he said. 

The NC Central Committee meeting, which concluded on Monday, has decided to hold the General Convention on January 10–12. 

He expressed the view that everyone associated with the party should prepare for the General Convention and that it should also include participation from Gen Z groups.

Responding to a media query, he said, “I was considering running for the post of party president. Shekhar is also in the race. Discussions are going on. One of us will contest for the post.”

A Central Working Committee meeting of the Nepali Congress has decided to hold a regular general convention in the second week of January.

The meeting held at the party office in Sanepa on Monday decided to hold the 15th general convention on January 10-12 in Kathmandu, party spokesperson Prakash Sharan Mahat informed.

Similarly, the meeting has set the deadline for distributing new active members until December 6.

The meeting has decided that the forms should be distributed to the wards by December 10 and the work of new active members should be completed by December 23, spokesperson Mahat said.

It has been decided to call for the complaints and the final list including the new ones will be submitted to the President on December 29 after investigating the complaints. 

The new active memberships will be distributed to new generations, leaders and cadres of other parties.

The convention of the liaison committees will be held by December 30, the village/town convention by December 31, and the provincial regional convention by January 3.

Regional conventions and the convention of districts with a single constituency will be held by January 5.

The district conventions of districts with more than one constituency are to take place by January 6, and the provincial conventions on January 7–8.

Similarly, as per the Central Committee decision, the term of the Central Committee, which is set to end on December 9, will be extended until mid-February, 2026.