Nepal’s major parties say dissolved parliament must be reinstated

BBC:

Nepal’s major political parties have demanded the country’s President Ram Chandra Poudel reinstates the parliament he dissolved following deadly anti-corruption protests.

In a statement, eight parties – including the Nepali Congress, CPN-UML and Maoist Centre – said the president acted unconstitutionally.

Poudel dissolved the House of Representatives on Friday upon the recommendation of newly-appointed interim Prime Minister Sushila Karki – it was also a key demand from the protest movement.

More than 50 people were killed in clashes with riot police during this week’s mass protests sparked by a ban on social media platforms. Karki was appointed after a deal was reached with protest leaders.

The ban was lifted on Monday – but by then the protests had swelled into a mass movement. Angry crowds set fire to parliament and government buildings in the capital Kathmandu on Tuesday, forcing then-Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli to resign.