SC turns down govt request to vacate its interim order

Kathmandu / Jun 13: The Supreme Court (SC) has turned down the government request to vacate its May 26 interim order against a Cabinet decision to increase the number of local level units in Tarai districts.

The government on Sunday had requested the apex court to vacate its interim order.

Earlier, a division bench of Justices Ishwor Khatiwada and Sapana Pradhan Malla issued a stay order against the government decision to increase the number of local units. The court observed that it would be against Article 295 (3) of the constitution and Clause 4 of Local Level Election Act 2017 to increase the number local units in between two phases of polls.

“The application seeking to vacate the interim order issued by a division bench after holding talks with both petitioner and defendant cannot be tabled,” said SC joint spokesperson Bishworaj Poudel.

The government on May 22 had decided to add 22 local units in 12 Tarai districts in line with the Rastriya Janata Party-Nepal’s demand so as to ensure the agitating party’s participation in the second phase of local elections scheduled for June 28.

The decision to increase the number of local units in districts along the plains had come a week after the first phase of elections was held for 283 local units in Provinces 3, 4 and 6.