Of the 232 lawmakers present, 93 cast votes in Oli’s favour and 124 against him while 15 lawmakers stayed neutral.

Nepal-Khanal group remains indecisive as prime minister faces a trust vote today. Janata Samajbadi is a divided house. Congress waits and watches. So do the Maoists.

Crisis continues to deepen with over 8,000 new cases and 53 deaths. Many from Oli’s orbit and over two dozen lawmakers test positive ahead of May 10 House session.

The UML chair and prime minister is paying no attention to soaring coronavirus cases, as he busies himself with political schemings ahead of his May 10 trust vote.

Maoists withdraw support and Nepal-Khanal supporters are mulling resigning as lawmakers. Congress eyes government and Janata Samajbadi is still a divided house.

Vehicle passes issued earlier have been cancelled. New orders spell out conditions for vehicular movement. Shops selling foodstuff can open only in the mornings and up to 9am.

Oli and his clique’s seeming indifference to the raging coronavirus and unfolding tragedy is stark. Even as virus cases hit a new record of 7,137 and death toll clocks 3,325, political games continue.

Constitutional experts call the development a farce and against the spirit of the parliamentary system.

President Bhandari has called a meeting of the House of Representatives for that day. The decision to seek a vote of confidence comes before the government announces its programmes and the budget for the new fiscal year.

A Provincial Assembly member, Bimala Khatri, chooses to side with the Maoist Centre, making the UML fall short of a seat to prove majority.

With resignation accepted, Pokhrel now set to seek to form a new government under his leadership without the backing of any other party.

Private constructions will not be allowed and government offices and financial institutions have to operate with one-fourth of the staff. The decisions will come into effect once the Cabinet endorses them.

Decision comes amid rising number of coronavirus cases in the Valley, which recorded more than half of the total infections reported across the country.

The decision by three chief district officers comes amid rising number of coronavirus cases in the Valley which recorded almost half of the total infections across the country.

Educational institutions cannot hold examinations and those entering Nepal have to stay in quarantine.