Prime Minister Sushila Karki has said that demands for the restoration of the dissolved House of Representatives and questioning the legitimacy of the government could push the country back into a cycle of instability. She also stated that any party choosing to boycott the March 5 elections will be seen as opting for anarchy.

Only on Tuesday, a meeting of the CPN-UML, the second largest party in the dissolved lower house, decided to file a petition in the Supreme Court against the dissolution.

After the former government, led by CPN-UML chief KP Sharma Oli, was ousted by the Gen Z uprising on September 9, Karki, a former chief justice, was appointed prime minister on September 12. On the same day, President Ramchandra Paudel, acting on her recommendation, dissolved the House of Representatives. Karki’s interim government is preparing to hold parliamentary elections on March 5. At least 76 people were killed in the protests when the Oli government used brutal force against unarmed youths protesting corruption.

The CPN-UML plans to file the writ petition on Sunday, though the Supreme Court has already started hearing several other petitions filed by advocates against the dissolution.

Addressing a meeting of political parties registered with the Election Commission, the prime minister said that such actions—demanding House restoration—would undermine the democratic process and contribute to instability, according to a statement released by her private secretariat.

By making this statement, she reinforced the government's commitment to holding elections and urged political parties to engage constructively in the electoral process.

At a time when some party leaders have expressed concerns over the government's apathy towards engaging with political parties to create a conducive environment for elections, Prime Minister Karki called the meeting of all political parties registered with the Election Commission to hear their grievances.

She emphasized that if any party fails to register with the commission or chooses to boycott the elections will be seen as opting for anarchy rather than defending democracy.

She urged parties to register with the commission by November 26, stressing that this is a mandatory step for participating in the upcoming elections. Her statement underlined the importance of legal and constitutional processes in ensuring a stable and democratic electoral environment.

"Even after the announcement of elections, some parties continue to show uncertainty and remain on the sidelines. Demands for the restoration of the House of Representatives and questioning the government's legitimacy could lead the nation back into a cycle of instability," she said.

She asserted that the government has no confusion regarding its constitutional position. "Conducting the House of Representatives election on March 5 is our constitutional duty and an unwavering political commitment to the people," she added.

Karki urged political parties to move towards a constitutional solution. "If we continue to demand restoration of the dissolved House, it will only confirm that we are trying to repeat the political disasters of the past," she said adding, “therefore, we must now focus political debate on the constitutional way out, which is the election.”

She also announced concrete steps to reduce election expenditure, curb misuse of resources, and regulate recruitment of employees ahead of the polls. Political parties will have only 21 days for electoral campaigning, which can contribute transparency and austerity in the elections, she added.

The main priority of this government is security and good governance, said the prime minister, “and without restoring your trust, elections cannot be successful.”

“The recent youth uprising has called for an end to the tendency of protecting brokers, middlemen, the corrupt, and the mafia. We fully respect this voice. The dissatisfaction of the youth is not just a law-and-order problem; it is a demand for structural and political reform,” said the prime minister.

“We want to transform the anger of the youth into the positive energy of the ballot,” she told the party leaders. “We want to guide the street protests towards the policymaking table. For this, reforms are being introduced in the election law through an ordinance, which will significantly increase youth participation in the electoral process,” she added.

The government is also taking steps to ensure accountability and transparency, she said.

“An impartial and swift investigation is being carried out into the violent incidents that occurred during the Gen Z uprising, and the perpetrators will be brought to book,” she said, while sharing some details on how the government is working towards restoring good governance.