Kathmandu, Jul 13 (IANS): Nepal's newly-appointed Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba took oath of office and secrecy on Tuesday evening.

Deuba also formed a small cabinet and administered the oath of office and secrecy following the oath taking ceremony at the President's office.

President Bidya Devi Bhandari administered the oath to Deuba at a special ceremony at Sheetal Niwas, the President's office.

The oath-taking ceremony was delayed after Deuba refused to take the oath saying that a statement issued by the President's office didn't mention that he was appointed as per Article 76 (5) of the Constitution.

An earlier statement issued by the President's office had stated that Nepali Congress Parliamentary Party leader Deuba has been appointed the Prime Minister in accordance with the July 12 verdict of the Supreme Court's Constitutional Bench.

Deuba became ready for the oath after the President's office corrected the statement, mentioning that Deuba was appointed as per Article 76 (5).

A day after the Supreme Court overturned Prime Minister K.P. Sharma Oli's decision to dissolve the Parliament and the announcement of fresh polls in November, President Bhandari appointed Deuba as the Prime Minister of the country.

Deuba, 75, is former four-time Prime Minister of the country. He is leading an alliance of four parties, his own Nepali Congress, Nepal Communist Party (Maoist Center), Janata Samajbai Party and Rastriya Janamorcha.

The court had ordered the President to appoint Deuba as the Prime Minister by 5 pm on Tuesday. Deuba enjoyed majority votes in the House.

This is Deuba's fifth term as the Prime Minister. He had previously served four terms as the Prime Minister of Nepal from 1995 to 1997, 2001 to 2002, 2004 to 2005, and 2017 to 2018. Now, Deuba needs to win a vote of confidence motion in the Lower House within 30 days to remain in office.

Along with Deuba, four ministers also took the oath of secrecy, two from his party and two from the Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist Center).