Koshi Province Chief Minister Hikmat Karki on Monday expanded his Cabinet. Karki, who was appointed the province chief per the Supreme Court’s September 7 verdict, has inducted two ministers and as many state ministers into his Cabinet.

Lila Ballav Adhikari has been appointed the Minister for Internal Affairs and Law, while Budhhi Kumar Rajbhandari has been assigned the portfolio of the Drinking Water, Irrigation, and Energy Ministry.

Likewise, Ram Prasad Mehta has been appointed the state minister for Industry, Agriculture, and Cooperatives, and Niran Rao the state minister for Finance and Planning.

Adhikari and Rajbhandari were administered the oath of office and secrecy by Province Head Parshuram Khapung while state ministers Mehta and Rai were sworn-in by Karki. With the new appointments, the Koshi Province Cabinet now has nine members.

Previously, Til Kumar Menyangbo, Ekraj Karki and Panch Karna Rai of the UML were appointed ministers on September 8.

On September 7, the Supreme Court ordered Koshi’s Provincial Head to appoint CPN-UML’s provincial assembly leader Karki the chief minister of the province, declaring the July 27 vote of confidence secured by Nepali Congress’s Uddhav Thapa as unconstitutional.

The top court had issued the mandamus order to appoint Karki as chief minister within 48 hours as per Article 168(3) that paves the way for forming a government led by the leader of the largest party in the assembly. With 40 seats in the 93-member assembly, the UML is the largest party in the province.

After the November 20 elections last year, Karki assumed office as the province chief on January 8 but lost the position after failing the floor test on June 30.