SC upholds Nepali Congress special convention, validates Thapa-led leadership

Kathmandu, April 18: The Supreme Court has upheld the legitimacy of the special general convention of the Nepali Congress, recognizing the leadership led by Gagan Kumar Thapa.

A division bench of Justices Sharanga Subedi and Nripadhwaj Niraula endorsed the convention and validated the party leadership formed through the process, siding with the Election Commission’s earlier decision.

The case was filed by former Prime Minister and ex-party president Sher Bahadur Deuba and then-acting president Purna Bahadur Khadka, who challenged the legality of the special convention, arguing that it violated the party statute and existing laws. The court, however, dismissed their writ petition.

In its ruling, the court stated that calling a special general convention under Article 17(2) of the party statute in exceptional circumstances cannot be rejected. It also noted that although the schedule for the party’s 15th regular general convention had been announced, it was not feasible to hold it on time.

Spokesperson Arjun Koirala said the verdict addressed the dispute over the party’s official authority. Hearings on the case were conducted on Thursday and Friday, with Vice President Bishw Prakash Sharma also participating.

Welcoming the decision, General Secretaries Gururaj Ghimire and Pradip Paudel said the ruling was fair and should be accepted by all. They stressed that the verdict acknowledges the contributions of party members and should not be seen as a victory or defeat for any side.