Nepal's top court yesterday barred combative deputy prime minister Rabi Lamichhane from office for failing to regain citizenship in the Himalayan republic after giving up his US passport.

Lamichhane, 48, is well-known for his career as a television host, making his name as an anti-corruption crusader through aggressive interviews with public officials.

He was one of the biggest winners in elections last November, securing his new party a place in the ruling coalition and himself the post of deputy prime minister.

But Supreme Court spokesman Bimal Poudel told AFP that Lamichhane was ineligible to keep his post after not "following the due process" when he relinquished his US citizenship in 2018.

"The constitutional bench of the Supreme Court has ruled that his candidacy and election to the post of a member of the House of Representatives are void," Poudel said.