Prime Minister Balen Shah has taken the oath of office.
He was sworn in at 12:34 p.m. on Friday by President Ram Chandra Paudel.
Before the oath-taking ceremony, seven Brahmins blew conch shells as part of the ritual. Likewise, 108 batuks (young priests) performed Swastivachan (Vedic chants), and 16 monks recited the Ashtamangala chants.
Following these rituals, President Paudel administered the oath to PM Shah.
The swearing-in ceremony was attended by Vic-president Ram Sahay Prasad Yadav, outgoing Prime Minister Sushila Karki, National Assembly Chairman Narayan Prasad Dahal, former president Ram Baran Yadav, former vice-president Paramananda Jha, former prime ministers Pushpa Kamal Dahal, Jhala Nath Khanal, Madhav Kumar Nepal, and Baburam Bhattarai, and former chairman of the council of ministers Khil Raj Regmi.
Former prime minister Sher Bahadur Deuba is currently abroad. Meanwhile, former prime minister and CPN-UML Chairman KP Sharma Oli did not attend the ceremony.
The oath-taking ceremony also saw the participation of high-ranking government officials.
