While the interim government prepares for elections on March 5, Nepal's two largest political parties—Nepali Congress and CPN (UML)—have intensified their campaign to reinstate the dissolved House of Representatives.
The two parties are currently collecting signatures from their former lawmakers to present a show of majority before the Supreme Court. While UML has reportedly secured signatures from all 78 of its lawmakers, Nepali Congress, which has 89 lawmakers, is facing internal friction. While Chief Whip Shyam Kumar Ghimire insists the party will provide full support, a faction led by General Secretary Gagan Thapa has reportedly hesitated to sign.
The move comes after a series of writ petitions were filed challenging the dissolution of Parliament by President Ramchandra Paudel on the recommendation of Prime Minister Sushila Karki. The Karki-led government was formed 100 days ago following the Gen Z uprising in September, which led to the collapse of the KP Sharma Oli-led administration.
UML leader Sunita Baral expressed confidence that the judiciary would rule in their favor.
"We moved the court with the firm belief that Parliament will be restored. If we look at the Constitution, there is no other alternative. We are confident we will receive justice from the judiciary," Baral told Nepalkhabar.
She added that if reinstated, UML proposes an all-party government—including forces outside the current political sphere—to oversee new election dates, though the party would not claim leadership of such a government.
However, legal experts remain cautious. Purnaman Shakya, former President of the Supreme Court Bar Association, noted that while a majority of signatures signals political intent, the court's primary focus remains the constitutionality of the dissolution. He suggested that if the government fails to hold elections by March 5, the court might reinstate Parliament to avoid a constitutional vacuum.
Other political forces remain divided. The newly formed Nepali Communist Party, who has 40 lawmakers, supports restoration but claims the major parties have not formally consulted them, leader Rajendra Pandey said. Meanwhile, Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) remains firm on holding fresh elections, arguing that restoration would lead to further political instability.
The Supreme Court’s Constitutional Bench has already demanded written responses from the President and Prime Minister as it prepares for further hearings.
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