A Supreme Court bench has allowed a review petition in the dispute over the legitimate leadership of the Nepali Congress, sending the case back for a fresh hearing before a three-justice bench.

The review will now determine whether the earlier verdict that recognised the faction led by Gagan Kumar Thapa as the party’s legitimate leadership was legally correct. The outcome of the new hearing will decide the party’s official status.

The review petition was filed by former party president Sher Bahadur Deuba and Purna Bahadur Khadka against the earlier ruling. A bench comprising Chief Justice Manoj Kumar Sharma and justices Nityananda Pandey and Shreekanta Paudel issued the order on Thursday.

The dispute had earlier been settled by a division bench of the Supreme Court. However, arguing that the verdict contained legal errors, the Deuba-Khadka faction returned to the court seeking a review.

On April 17, a division bench of Justices Sharanga Subedi and Nripdhwoj Niraula upheld the Election Commission’s decision to recognise the special general convention of the Nepali Congress as lawful. The ruling effectively validated the working committee elected from the convention and allowed the Thapa-led committee to continue carrying out party activities.

The dispute emerged after the Election Commission recognised the working committee elected under Thapa’s leadership at the party’s special general convention held in January. The Deuba faction challenged the commission’s decision at the Supreme Court.

In January, a single bench of Justice Sunil Kumar Pokharel had refused to issue an interim order to suspend the commission’s decision. Instead, the court had asked the Election Commission and other respondents to submit written responses, allowing the Thapa-led committee to continue functioning while the case remained under consideration.

With the Supreme Court now allowing the review, the legal battle over the Nepali Congress leadership has entered a new phase. The three-justice bench will examine whether the earlier verdict requires correction and issue a final decision on the party’s official leadership.