PM Oli inducts four ministers in his Cabinet

Kathmandu / Feb 26: Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli on Monday expanded his Cabinet by inducting four new ministers on Monday.

PM Oli appointed Ishwar Pokharel as Defense Minister, Dr Yubaraj Khatiwada as Finance Minister, Ram Bahadur Thapa as Home Minister and Matrika Yadav as Minister for Industry, Commerce and Supplies. President Bidya Devi Bhandari administered the oath of office and secrecy to the newly appointed ministers at Sheetal Niwas, Maharajgunj, Kathmandu on Tuesday.

With the induction of four new ministers, the Cabinet now has seven ministers including Prime Minister. After his appointment as PM on February 15, Oli had formed a small Cabinet by appointing Lal Babu Pandit as Minister for Population and Environment and Tham Maya Thapa as Minister for Women Children and Social Welfare.

Though, Khatiwada has been appointed as the Finance Minister from National Assembly, the Supreme Court on Sunday had issued a short-term interim order directing the government to not administer the oath of office and secrecy to the newly nominated three members of the National Assembly by the KP Sharma Oli-led government.

Khatiwada should be the federal parliament member within six months after being appointed as the minister.