KATHMANDU: Prime Minister Balendra Shah (Balen) attended the swearing-in ceremony of newly appointed Chief Justice Manoj Kumar Sharma at the President’s Office on Tuesday, despite ongoing controversy surrounding his repeated absence from the House of Representatives.

The Prime Minister has come under criticism from opposition parties and legal experts after failing to attend parliamentary discussions on the government’s policies and programs. Opposition lawmakers have obstructed House proceedings and demanded Shah’s immediate presence, arguing that the prime minister must personally respond to questions and concerns raised by members of parliament.

Critics have described his absence during key parliamentary deliberations as irresponsible and contrary to democratic accountability.