The President Office’s is preparing to consult the new government on the three recommendations made by the Sher Bahadur Deuba government for appointment as National Assembly members.

The Deuba Cabinet had recommended Gopal Basnet, Chandani Joshi and Krishna Poudel to be nominated under the government’s quota in the Upper House. President Bidya Devi Bhandari has yet to endorse the names.

A Cabinet meeting last Saturday decided the names before forwarding them to the President for approval. The head of state has delayed her seal citing the need for consultation with political parties on the matter. “We hope the government [led by KP Sharma Oli] will ask us [about the names]. If necessary, we’ll talk to the government at an appropriate time what to do about the recommendations,” said a senior official at the President’s Office.

The officials admitted indirectly that the names forwarded by the Deuba government may not be approved at a time when Oli has already formed a new government. “Since a new government is in place, we hope it will make fresh recommendations,” the official said.

At a function on Friday, newly appointed Minister for Environment and Population Lalbabu Pandit made similar remarks. Pandit said that the UML-led government would scrap some of the decisions made by the Nepali Congress-led caretaker government.

Many of the decisions taken by the Deuba Cabinet stirred up controversy. They included reducing the age criterion for elderly allowance, declaring all those killed during the Maoist insurgency as martyrs, and distributing cash to NC cadres.

“We’ll review the decisions made by the previous government. If they are found not in line with the laws and the constitution and [against] national interest, we’ll revoke them,” said Pandit. Mostly, the decisions taken after the elections would be scrapped, he said.