KATHMANDU, March 11: With the process of forming a new government set to begin following the conclusion of vote counting under both the First-Past-the-Post (FPTP) and Proportional Representation (PR) electoral systems, the tenure of Prime Minister Sushila Karki is expected to end soon.
The Election Commission (EC) is preparing to submit the final report of the House of Representatives Election–2082 to President Ramchandra Paudel on March 19, after which the formal process of government formation will begin.
While leaving a polling station in Dhapasi after casting her vote last Thursday, Prime Minister Karki said that her responsibilities were “almost complete.” She has also stated that she is ready to hand over power to the incoming government.
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Karki was appointed prime minister on September 12 based on a consensus following the Gen Z movement. She had been tasked with leading the government until the election was completed and paving the way for the formation of a new administration.
After the EC finalizes the results under both the first-past-the-post and proportional representation systems, it will submit the report to the president. Once this happens, the current government will transition into a caretaker government, with Karki continuing as caretaker prime minister until a new prime minister is appointed.
In the latest election, the Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) achieved a landslide victory. The party won 125 out of 165 seats under the first-past-the-post system, securing a clear majority and placing itself in a strong position to form the next government. It has also received around 48 percent of the proportional representation votes.
Ahead of the election, RSP had presented Balen Shah as its candidate for prime minister, making him the likely choice for the position. However, the party must first formally elect its parliamentary party leader before the appointment can take place.
According to Article 76(1) of the Constitution, the president appoints as prime minister the parliamentary party leader of the party that commands a clear majority in the House of Representatives. With RSP securing a majority, preparations are underway to form the government under this constitutional provision.
