Kathmandu, January 12

Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli today submitted a written response to the Supreme Court on why he had appointed more than 25 ministers going against the spirit of the new constitution.

The PM’s Chief Adviser Bishnu Rimal submitted the PM’s response at the apex court, but stated he was unaware about its content.

According to a source, in his response dispatched through the Attorney General, the PM has stated that the Cabinet was expanded according to the ‘need of the hour’ and was not against the spirit of the new statute.

He further stated that the provision of Article (76), which limits the Cabinet member to not more than 25, would be applicable only after the formation of the lower and upper Houses of the Parliament as per Article (83) of the new constitution.

The PM stated this, therefore, was not an issue for judicial review, added the source.

Earlier, advocate Kanchan Krishna Neupane had filed a writ in the Supreme Court against the expansion of the cabinet  even by disintegrating the ministries  on which the apex Court had directed PMO to come up with a written response by January 12.