Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli said on Sunday that the ordinances would be presented in Parliament only after further discussions with political parties. He said consultations would take two to three more days.

“Now is not the time to count lawmakers,” Oli said while speaking to journalists at the Parliament building when asked about the Janata Samajbadi Party-Nepal (JSP-Nepal) opposing the ordinance despite being in the ruling side in Parliament.

The government had planned to table ordinances in both houses on Thursday, but the proposal was withdrawn at the last moment due to a lack of majority in the National Assembly. The ruling coalition, including Oli’s CPN-UML, has 28 members in favour—16 from Congress, 10 from UML, two nominated (Anjana Shakya), and one from the Loktantrik Samajbadi Party. However, with the Maoist Centre (17), CPN (Unified Socialist) (8), and Rastriya Janamorcha (1) opposing, the opposition has 26 votes.

Former UML leader Bamdev Gautam’s stance remains uncertain.

The ordinance’s fate now hinges on JSP-Nepal, which has three members. If the party supports it, the ordinance will secure a majority. If the JSP-Nepal along with Gautam stand against the ordinances, the opposition will prevail. In case of a tie, National Assembly Chairman Narayan Prasad Dahal, a former Maoist leader and close to Maoist Centre chair Pushpa Kamal Dahal, will cast the deciding vote.

JSP-Nepal had already opposed the ordinance in Parliament. Its chief whip, Rekha Yadav, questioned its urgency in the House of Representatives.

Earlier, JSP-Nepal had convened a meeting where Raj Kishor Yadav, head of its ordinance study task force, submitted a report to party chair Upendra Yadav.

As per constitutional provisions, ordinances must be replaced by bills within 60 days of the commencement of the federal parliament session.