Nepal’s Top Court Revives Legal Battle Over Congress Leadership
Nepal’s Supreme Court has reopened the legal dispute over the leadership of the Nepali Congress by agreeing to review its earlier ruling that recognised the party’s special general convention and the central working committee led by Gagan Thapa. The decision came after separate review petitions were filed by former party president Sher Bahadur Deuba and former acting president Purna Bahadur Khadka, who argued that the court’s April verdict contained legal errors.
Despite the review, the court has not suspended the earlier judgment. As a result, Gagan Thapa will continue to serve as party president, and his central working committee will remain legally recognised until a fresh verdict is delivered. A new three-judge bench, excluding those involved in the previous ruling and the review order, will hear the case from the beginning after examining evidence and written submissions from all parties.
The court’s decision has also eased immediate tensions within the Nepali Congress. Leaders from Deuba’s faction indicated that while their planned national gathering in mid-August will proceed, proposals to launch a separate political party are likely to be dropped pending the court’s final decision. Meanwhile, Thapa’s camp has welcomed the opportunity to present additional legal and political arguments in support of the special general convention, expressing confidence that the court will ultimately uphold the legitimacy of the party’s current leadership.
