A hearing has been scheduled today on the writ petition filed by 74 provincial assembly members against the appointment of the Chief Minister of Madhes Province.
Out of the 110-member Provincial Assembly, 74 lawmakers filed the petition at the Supreme Court, claiming that the Chief Minister’s appointment was unconstitutional.
The petitioners have demanded an interim order to suspend the appointment decision and initiate a fresh constitutional process. The writ was registered by Nepali Congress Parliamentary Party leader Krishna Yadav, who submitted it with the signatures of the lawmakers.
According to Supreme Court spokesperson and joint registrar Arjun Prasad Koirala, the case has been listed for hearing today.
About a month ago, the CPN-UML had supported Congress parliamentary leader Yadav’s proposal for the post of Chief Minister in Madhes Province. However, due to internal disputes within the Janamat Party, Jitendra Sonal of the Loktantrik Samajwadi Party (LSP) was appointed Chief Minister. Sonal later announced his resignation after failing to secure a majority.
Political tensions escalated during the government formation process, leading to the breakdown of the Congress–UML alliance in the province. Subsequently, the Congress formed a seven-party coalition excluding UML and began efforts to form a new government.
Meanwhile, UML initiated a move to form a government under Article 168(3) of the Constitution, which allows the largest party to form the government when other options fail.
The seven-party alliance, however, has argued that since Sonal resigned without seeking a vote of confidence under Article 168(2), the government formation process should have continued under the same clause.
The controversy deepened after the provincial head went to Kathmandu, citing medical reasons, and during his absence, UML parliamentary leader Saroj Yadav was sworn in as Chief Minister in a hotel.
To challenge this move, Yadav and his coalition partners have filed the writ petition, supported by nearly a two-thirds majority of provincial assembly members.
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