KATHMANDU, Aug 30: The cabinet on Sunday decided to hold the ceremony of oath of office and secrecy in Nepali language for Parmananda Jha as vice president at 4 p.m., according to Minister for Information Shankar Pokharel.[break]
The cabinet requested Jha to take his oath in Nepali as ruled by the Supreme Court, Pokharel, who is also the cabinet spokesperson, told the mediapersons after the cabinet meeting at Singha Durbar.
Pokharel said that since a previous decision of the cabinet had already decided to amend the relevant provision of oath-taking of constitutional figures in the interim constitution, the vice president should have no problem in taking his oath in Nepali. The cabinet had decided table an amendment bill to allow oath for top-level constitutional figures to take oath in any other national language if they so chose.
Today is the last day of the deadline set by the Supreme Court for Jha to take his oath in Nepali, failing which he would lose his post as vice president. The apex had annulled his oath in Hindi, ruling it was against the provision set in the constitution.
Meanwhile, our correspondent Kiran Chapagain reported that Jha is likely to hold a press conference at 1 p.m. Sunday. A source close to Jha said that the ´vice president´ was consulting with his lawyers and friends about his next move in the light of the cabinet´s decision to hold the oath-taking ceremony in Nepali at 4 p.m.
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