Kathmandu, Dec 22: The two largest parties in the dissolved House of Representatives, the Nepali Congress(NC) and the CPN UML, have moved to strengthen the push for House reinstatement by preparing a joint supplemental writ.

Both parties had earlier filed separate petitions. They are now set to submit a combined writ backed by signatures from a majority of former lawmakers. The Loktantrik Samajwadi Party (LSP) led by Mahantha Thakur has signaled support for the move.

As the two parties finalize the filing, the fourth largest force in the dissolved House, the Rastriya Swatantra Party, has warned against this path. Party chair Rabi Lamichhane on Sunday cautioned leaders against pursuing reinstatement and repeated the warning again on Monday.

The NC and UML plan to register the supplemental writ on Monday with signatures from 138 former lawmakers, a clear majority. Congress chief whip of the dissolved House, Shyam Ghimire, said preparations are complete, and signatures are still being collected. Earlier, eight Congress lawmakers and two UML lawmakers had already filed separate petitions seeking House reinstatement.

UML chief whip Mahesh Bartaula and whip Sunita Baral filed a writ at the Supreme Court on November 26. After a preliminary hearing, the court asked the President, the Prime Minister, and other respondents to submit written replies. UML as a party had not initially moved the court. Two days after UML chair KP Sharma Oli met Congress president Sher Bahadur Deuba, eight Congress lawmakers filed a petition through legal representatives on November 29. UML has already submitted a list of signatures from 75 lawmakers to the court.

The new plan is to file a joint writ with signatures from Congress, UML, and LSP lawmakers. Ghimire said more than 65 Congress lawmakers have signed so far and that discussions with Thakur have confirmed LSP support. LSP had four lawmakers in the dissolved House. Party general secretary Manish Mishra said LSP lawmakers are ready to sign, adding that the party considers the House dissolution unconstitutional while not opposing elections. He said LSP supports a constitutional way out.

Two former attorneys general will handle the filing. Khamba Bahadur Khati will represent Congress, and Ramesh Badal will represent UML in preparing and submitting the joint writ.

UML appears united on reinstatement. Congress, while publicly committed to elections, shows internal divisions. Most lawmakers aligned with Deuba and with Shekhar Koirala have signed. Those aligned with General Secretary Gagan Thapa have not. The Congress Central Committee had earlier decided to take part in elections, stating that polls scheduled for February 21 offer the proper political exit.

Yet senior Congress leaders now say the lack of an election environment and uncertainty over holding polls on time have increased support within the party for House reinstatement.

Rabi opposes House reinstatement

As Congress and UML close ranks, RSP has issued sharp warnings. Speaking in Chitwan, Lamichhane cautioned leaders against attempts to revive the House, repeating the message at the party office and questioning which House was being revived. He urged leaders to stop what he called conspiratorial moves.

People’s News Monitoring Service

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