The internal rift within Nepali Congress has escalated into a legal battle as the faction led by former President Sher Bahadur Deuba registered a writ petition at the Supreme Court today. The hearing on the writ has been scheduled for January 20, Arjun Prasad Koirala, the spokesperson at the Supreme Court. The faction is seeking to overturn the Election Commission's decision to grant official recognition to the newly elected leadership under Gagan Thapa.
A delegation led by acting president of the Deuba faction, Purna Bahadur Khadka, accompanied by former Attorney General Khamba Bahadur Khati, arrived at the court to file the petition. According to Deuba’s legal advisor, Keshav Joshi, the move is backed by signatures from a majority of the party’s previous Central Working Committee (CWC) members.
Key highlights
The Election Commission recently authenticated the leadership elected during the party’s Second Special General Convention, held in Kathmandu from January 11–13.
Gagan Thapa was elected as the party president during this convention, a move the Deuba camp claims is illegitimate.
Following a meeting at the Sanepa party office on Saturday, the Deuba faction decided to pursue both legal action and street protests to reclaim "official" party status.
The court's decision on this petition will likely determine the fate of Nepal's largest democratic party.
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