KATHMANDU: The Supreme Court has decided to fast-track a petition questioning the legality of Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli’s government and will now conduct a full hearing.

A bench of Justices Til Prasad Shrestha and Srikanta Paudel ordered the case be prioritized following arguments by lawyer Yagyamani Neupane, who contended that the government had become illegal and urged the court to issue an interim order.

The court has directed the submission of key documents, including party support letters submitted to the President on July 12, parliamentary whip details from July 22, and records of parties supporting the prime minister.

The petition, filed by lawyer Birendra KC on August 21, claims that after the withdrawal of support by parties such as JSP Nepal and the Nagarik Unmukti Party, the prime minister failed to seek a confidence vote within the constitutionally mandated 30 days, rendering the government “caretaker” and unconstitutional.

The Supreme Court has raised critical constitutional questions: whether the withdrawal of support automatically triggers a caretaker government, whether parties that supported but did not formally join the government affect its legality, whether withdrawn support can be reinstated, and how parliamentary arithmetic should influence interim orders.

Both sides will now be heard before a full bench.