'The Supreme Court decision will affect the government as well as the judiciary.'

He also said that at a time when the country should concentrate on taking the peace process to its conclusion and drafting a new constitution, the apex court ruling added fuel to fire.

Jha, who was elected Nepal's first vice president July 2008 after the former Hindu kingdom became a secular federal republic, created a controversy when he took oath of office in Hindi, the language spoken by Madhesis.

He also wore the 'dhoti' and 'kurta', regarded as Indian clothes and reviled by Nepal's hill community.

There were violent protests after the incident, with the Maoist party demanding Jha's resignation.

Though the protests stopped, an ultra-nationalistic lawyer, Balkrishna Neupane, filed a suit in Supreme Court the same month, challenging the use of Hindi and asking Jha to be sworn again in Nepali.