Nepalese premier recommends dissolution of parliament

KATHMANDU, Nepal

Nepalese Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli on Sunday recommended the dissolution of the country's parliament following a months-long internal rift within the ruling party.

An emergency meeting of the Cabinet decided to recommend the country's President Bidhya Devi Bhandari to dissolve the parliament, Energy Minister Barshaman Pun told reporters on Sunday.

Oli and his rivals in the Nepal Communist Party, which came to power in February 2018, have been engaged in a bitter power struggle, with the prime minister refusing to attend the party's high-level meeting.

Over the last year, Oli's rivals have called for his resignation over allegations of corruption and failure to deliver the electoral promises.

In July, President Bhandari prorogued the budget session of the federal parliament upon the government's recommendation.

Oli has rejected calls from the ruling and opposition party lawmakers to resume the parliamentary session.

Constitutional experts say the Himalayan nation's constitution does not have a clear provision for the dissolution of the parliament. Oli's move is expected to be challenged in the country's Supreme Court.