Majority coalition government (February - May 2018, March - May 2021) Majority government (May 2018 - March 2021) Minority government (May - June 2021) Minority interim government (June - July 2021)
Despite the naming suggesting otherwise, the cabinet is not the extension of the
first Oli cabinet, as two different cabinets were formed by two different prime ministers in between both Oli cabinets. Apart from prime minister Oli, only four other ministers served in both cabinets;
Giriraj Mani Pokharel and
Shakti Bahadur Basnet, who joined the cabinet in the beginning, and
Bishnu Prasad Paudel and
Top Bahadur Rayamajhi, who were added to the cabinet in a later rearrangement. Pokharel headed the
Ministry of Education while Paudel headed the
Ministry of Finance both times, whereas Basnet and Rayamajhi served in two different ministries in the two cabinets.
History
The
Constitution of Nepal set the maximum numbers of ministers including state ministers to 25, however, Oli first decided to have 17 ministries under him, which is less than the previous cabinets with each around 30 ministries.[6][7] It was later expanded to 22 ministries and the addition of three state ministers brought the number of cabinet members to 25.
The first expansion to the cabinet was made on 26 February 2018, when seven more ministers were sworn in,[8] while the second expansion took place on 16 March 2018.[9]
Further major cabinet reshuffles took place on 20 November 2019 and 14 October 2020.[14][15]
A major ministerial reshuffle took place on 25 December 2020 after several ministers resigned in protest of Oli's move to recommend the dissolution of the House of Representatives which was promptly approved by the president, although it was later overturned by the
Supreme Court.[16][17][18] All members of the cabinet were members of the
Nepal Communist Party until 7 March 2021, when the party was dissolved by a verdict of the Supreme Court.[19] The court's verdict invalidated the ruling party, effectively reviving the former CPN (UML) and CPN (Maoist Centre) parties. This reduced Oli's government back to a coalition government.[20] The CPN (Maoist Centre) recalled its ministers on 13 March 2021 and withdrew its support from the government on 5 May 2021, effectively turning it into a minority government.[21][22] After Oli failed to obtain a vote of confidence in the parliament, his government was reduced to a caretaker capacity.[23]
Oli became a minority prime minister on 13 May 2021 by president
Bidya Devi Bhandari, albeit as a minority prime minister, as none of the opposition parties were able to form a majority government or lay their claim for it in the provided time frame.[24][25] Citing the provision mentioned in Article 76 (3) of the constitution, Oli, being the leader of the largest party in the House of Representatives, was re-appointed prime minister, requiring him to again prove a majority in the house within 30 days from his appointment. Following the dissolution of the House of Representatives by the president at midnight on 22 May 2021, the Oli government turned into an interim government until new elections, scheduled for 12 and 19 November 2021, were held.[26][27]
Another major ministerial reshuffle took place on 4 June 2021, after the CPN (UML) formed a coalition with a faction of the
People's Socialist Party, Nepal, after negotiations were reached to awards as many as ten ministerial berths to members of the faction led by
Mahantha Thakur and
Rajendra Mahato.[28][29][30] The cabinet was further expanded on 10 June 2021.[31] The Supreme Court, on 22 June 2021, stayed the cabinet expansion and reshuffle by Prime Minister Oli. The petitioners had earlier claimed that the government formed under article 76 (3) of the constitution with a caretaker status cannot expand or reshuffle the cabinet. Twenty ministers (including three deputy prime ministers) appointed on 4 and 10 June 2021 were dismissed from their post.[32][33][34]Bishnu Prasad Paudel, who was appointed minister of
Finance on 14 October 2020 and had been elevated to
deputy prime minister on 4 June 2021, retained only his Finance portfolio after this decision.[35] Prime Minister Oli thereafter divided the portfolios among the five remaining members of the cabinet on 24 June 2021.[36]
Dissolution
On 12 July 2021, the
Supreme Court ruled that the president's decision to dissolve the House of Representatives on the recommendation of prime minister Oli was unlawful and ordered the appointment of
Nepali Congress president
Sher Bahadur Deuba as prime minister within 28 hours, after the opposition alliance had filed writs against the dissolution of the House of Representatives.[37] President Bhandari appointed Deuba as the prime minister in accordance with Article 76 (5) of the
Constitution of Nepal, and he was sworn in for a fifth term on 13 July 2021.[38][39]
^
abcdServed partially as a minister with two portfolios.
^Khatiwada had to resign from his ministerial posts on 3 March 2020, as his two-year term in the Rastriya Sabha ended, however he was reappointed only on the next day[49]
^
abDhakal served twice as the Minister for Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs
^Pokharel was appointed Deputy Prime Minister on 1 June 2018, prior to that he only served as Minister of Defence.[58]
^Tham Maya Thapa was given the portfolio of Women, Children and Social Welfare which was converted to Ministry of Labour, Employment, Women, Children and Social Security following the ministry reorganization of 23 February 2018.[59] The ministry's portfolio was again adjusted to Ministry of Women, Children and Senior Citizen on 17 March 2018.[60]
^Lal Babu Pandit was given the portfolio of Population and Environment on 15 February 2018 which was converted to Ministry of Health and Population following the ministry reorganization of 23 February 2018.[59] His portfolio was changed to Federal Affairs and General Administration on 16 March 2018.[61]
^
abChakrapani Khanal was in charge of the Ministry of Agriculture, Land Management and Cooperatives until 2 August 2018, however, due to a cabinet expansion, Padma Kumari Aryal became the new Minister of Land Management, Cooperatives and Poverty Alleviation, while Khanal's portfolio was changed to Ministry of Agricultural and Livestock Development.[66]
^
abGokul Prasad Baskota served as State Minister for Information and Communications from 16 March 2018 until 31 May 2018, before being promoted to Minister for Information and Communications on 1 June 2018.[55]
^Ram Kumari Chaudhary was sworn in as State Minister at the Ministry of Agriculture, Land Management and Cooperatives. However, due to a cabinet expansion, the ministry's portfolio was changed to the Ministry of Agricultural and Livestock Development.[66]
^
abcPrime Minister Oli in charge of all portfolios not allocated to any other minister.
Defence since 14 October 2020 and
Foreign Affairs since 24 June 2021, until 13 July 2021.
Majority coalition government (February - May 2018, March - May 2021) Majority government (May 2018 - March 2021) Minority government (May - June 2021) Minority interim government (June - July 2021)
Despite the naming suggesting otherwise, the cabinet is not the extension of the
first Oli cabinet, as two different cabinets were formed by two different prime ministers in between both Oli cabinets. Apart from prime minister Oli, only four other ministers served in both cabinets;
Giriraj Mani Pokharel and
Shakti Bahadur Basnet, who joined the cabinet in the beginning, and
Bishnu Prasad Paudel and
Top Bahadur Rayamajhi, who were added to the cabinet in a later rearrangement. Pokharel headed the
Ministry of Education while Paudel headed the
Ministry of Finance both times, whereas Basnet and Rayamajhi served in two different ministries in the two cabinets.
History
The
Constitution of Nepal set the maximum numbers of ministers including state ministers to 25, however, Oli first decided to have 17 ministries under him, which is less than the previous cabinets with each around 30 ministries.[6][7] It was later expanded to 22 ministries and the addition of three state ministers brought the number of cabinet members to 25.
The first expansion to the cabinet was made on 26 February 2018, when seven more ministers were sworn in,[8] while the second expansion took place on 16 March 2018.[9]
Further major cabinet reshuffles took place on 20 November 2019 and 14 October 2020.[14][15]
A major ministerial reshuffle took place on 25 December 2020 after several ministers resigned in protest of Oli's move to recommend the dissolution of the House of Representatives which was promptly approved by the president, although it was later overturned by the
Supreme Court.[16][17][18] All members of the cabinet were members of the
Nepal Communist Party until 7 March 2021, when the party was dissolved by a verdict of the Supreme Court.[19] The court's verdict invalidated the ruling party, effectively reviving the former CPN (UML) and CPN (Maoist Centre) parties. This reduced Oli's government back to a coalition government.[20] The CPN (Maoist Centre) recalled its ministers on 13 March 2021 and withdrew its support from the government on 5 May 2021, effectively turning it into a minority government.[21][22] After Oli failed to obtain a vote of confidence in the parliament, his government was reduced to a caretaker capacity.[23]
Oli became a minority prime minister on 13 May 2021 by president
Bidya Devi Bhandari, albeit as a minority prime minister, as none of the opposition parties were able to form a majority government or lay their claim for it in the provided time frame.[24][25] Citing the provision mentioned in Article 76 (3) of the constitution, Oli, being the leader of the largest party in the House of Representatives, was re-appointed prime minister, requiring him to again prove a majority in the house within 30 days from his appointment. Following the dissolution of the House of Representatives by the president at midnight on 22 May 2021, the Oli government turned into an interim government until new elections, scheduled for 12 and 19 November 2021, were held.[26][27]
Another major ministerial reshuffle took place on 4 June 2021, after the CPN (UML) formed a coalition with a faction of the
People's Socialist Party, Nepal, after negotiations were reached to awards as many as ten ministerial berths to members of the faction led by
Mahantha Thakur and
Rajendra Mahato.[28][29][30] The cabinet was further expanded on 10 June 2021.[31] The Supreme Court, on 22 June 2021, stayed the cabinet expansion and reshuffle by Prime Minister Oli. The petitioners had earlier claimed that the government formed under article 76 (3) of the constitution with a caretaker status cannot expand or reshuffle the cabinet. Twenty ministers (including three deputy prime ministers) appointed on 4 and 10 June 2021 were dismissed from their post.[32][33][34]Bishnu Prasad Paudel, who was appointed minister of
Finance on 14 October 2020 and had been elevated to
deputy prime minister on 4 June 2021, retained only his Finance portfolio after this decision.[35] Prime Minister Oli thereafter divided the portfolios among the five remaining members of the cabinet on 24 June 2021.[36]
Dissolution
On 12 July 2021, the
Supreme Court ruled that the president's decision to dissolve the House of Representatives on the recommendation of prime minister Oli was unlawful and ordered the appointment of
Nepali Congress president
Sher Bahadur Deuba as prime minister within 28 hours, after the opposition alliance had filed writs against the dissolution of the House of Representatives.[37] President Bhandari appointed Deuba as the prime minister in accordance with Article 76 (5) of the
Constitution of Nepal, and he was sworn in for a fifth term on 13 July 2021.[38][39]
^
abcdServed partially as a minister with two portfolios.
^Khatiwada had to resign from his ministerial posts on 3 March 2020, as his two-year term in the Rastriya Sabha ended, however he was reappointed only on the next day[49]
^
abDhakal served twice as the Minister for Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs
^Pokharel was appointed Deputy Prime Minister on 1 June 2018, prior to that he only served as Minister of Defence.[58]
^Tham Maya Thapa was given the portfolio of Women, Children and Social Welfare which was converted to Ministry of Labour, Employment, Women, Children and Social Security following the ministry reorganization of 23 February 2018.[59] The ministry's portfolio was again adjusted to Ministry of Women, Children and Senior Citizen on 17 March 2018.[60]
^Lal Babu Pandit was given the portfolio of Population and Environment on 15 February 2018 which was converted to Ministry of Health and Population following the ministry reorganization of 23 February 2018.[59] His portfolio was changed to Federal Affairs and General Administration on 16 March 2018.[61]
^
abChakrapani Khanal was in charge of the Ministry of Agriculture, Land Management and Cooperatives until 2 August 2018, however, due to a cabinet expansion, Padma Kumari Aryal became the new Minister of Land Management, Cooperatives and Poverty Alleviation, while Khanal's portfolio was changed to Ministry of Agricultural and Livestock Development.[66]
^
abGokul Prasad Baskota served as State Minister for Information and Communications from 16 March 2018 until 31 May 2018, before being promoted to Minister for Information and Communications on 1 June 2018.[55]
^Ram Kumari Chaudhary was sworn in as State Minister at the Ministry of Agriculture, Land Management and Cooperatives. However, due to a cabinet expansion, the ministry's portfolio was changed to the Ministry of Agricultural and Livestock Development.[66]
^
abcPrime Minister Oli in charge of all portfolios not allocated to any other minister.
Defence since 14 October 2020 and
Foreign Affairs since 24 June 2021, until 13 July 2021.