Sher Bahadur Deuba takes oath as Nepal’s PM for record 5th time

TIL Desk/World/Kathmandu/ Sher Bahadur Deuba on Tuesday formally became Nepal’s Prime Minister for a record fifth time after the Supreme Court’s intervention and last-minute hiccups over his appointment letter.

The 75-year-old veteran politician and Nepali Congress President took the oath of office and secrecy from President Bidya Devi Bhandari during a swearing-in ceremony which was delayed by over two hours. The ceremony, initially set to be held at 6.00 pm (17.45 IST), took place around 8.15 pm after the President’s Office issued a fresh appointment notice.

The oath ceremony was delayed after the Nepali Congress party took exception to the Office of the President’s statement that did not mention the constitutional provision under which Deuba was appointed the prime minister.

A five-member Constitutional Bench led by Chief Justice Cholendra Shumsher Rana, in its order on Monday, had said that Deuba must be appointed the Prime Minister in line with Article 76 (5) of the Constitution.