Kathmandu, Feb. 23 -- In what is a major setback to Prime Minister K P Oli, Nepal's Supreme Court has overturned his dissolution on 20 December of the Lower House of Parliament and announcement of snap polls.

Ruling on 13 writ petitions against the prime minister's recommendation to President Bidya Devi Bhandari, a Constitutional Bench Presided over by Chief Justice Cholendra SJB Rana quashed the decision, saying that the prime minister under the 2017 constitution did not have the authority to dissolve the House.

The Supreme Court also ordered that the Lower House be convened within 13 days, which means it has to meet by 8 March. The Constitutional Bench was made up of Rana, as well as Bishowambhar Shrestha, Anil Sinha, Sapana Pradhan M...