KATHMANDU, MARCH 27
Balendra Shah 'Balen' was sworn in as Nepal's Prime Minister at a special ceremony held at the Office of the President on Friday.
President Ramchandra Paudel administered the oath of office and secrecy after appointing Shah earlier in the day under Article 76(1) of the Constitution.
The ceremony was attended by Vice President Ram Sahaya Prasad Yadav, Chief Justice Prakash Man Singh Raut, National Assembly Chair Narayan Prasad Dahal, former prime ministers, senior officials, security chiefs and members of the diplomatic community.
The oath ceremony, held in a Vedic–Sanatan tradition for the first time, featured conch blowing from seven conches, recitations by 108 Batuks and chants by 108 Buddhist monks.
Shah, parliamentary party leader of the Rastriya Swatantra Party, was unanimously elected to the post by his party on Thursday. He was elected to the House of Representatives from Jhapa-5 in the March 5 polls, defeating KP Sharma Oli by a wide margin. A former mayor of Kathmandu Metropolitan City, he resigned earlier this year to contest the election, entering federal politics for the first time and directly assuming the premiership.
Following his appointment, Shah announced a Cabinet while retaining the Defence and Industry portfolios.
Swarnim Wagle has been appointed Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister, while Sudhan Gurung will lead the Home Ministry. Shishir Khanal has been assigned Foreign Affairs, and Sunil Lamsal will head Physical Infrastructure, Transport and Urban Development.
Similarly, Biraj Bhakta Shrestha has been appointed Minister for Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation, while Khadka Raj Paudel will oversee Tourism. Sasmit Pokharel has been given charge of Education, Science and Technology as well as Youth and Sports.
Nisha Mehta has been appointed Health and Population Minister, Bikram Timilsina Communications Minister, and Pratibha Rawal Federal Affairs and General Administration Minister. Likewise, Dipak Sah has been assigned Labour and Employment, Sobita Gautam Law, while Geeta Chaudhary will lead Agriculture and Livestock Development as well as Forest and Environment, and Sita Badi Women, Children and Senior Citizens.
Shah, an engineer by training and former rapper, previously served as Kathmandu mayor, where he was noted for urban reforms, heritage conservation and infrastructure development.
