Hearing for HoR dissolution case today

Kathmandu - Hearing on the writ petition filed at the Supreme Court against the dissolution of the House of Representatives is taking place at the Constitutional bench of the apex court today. The debate underway is now focused on whether to hear the case in the bench or in an extended full bench of the court. Of the 13 petitioners, 11 have demanded an extended full bench in a supplementary petition filed on January 6.

Hearing before the Constitutional bench started with the presence of Chief Justice Cholendra Shumsher JB Rana and justices Hari Krishna Karki, Biswambhar Prasad Shrestha, Anil Kumar Sinha and Tej Bahadur KC. Justice Karki however has declared not to be part of the bench after questions were raised over his past involvement as the chief attorney of Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli. Chief Justice Rana will have to designate another justice in today's bench. So far, the Office of the President and the Office of the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers and the Speaker of House of Representatives have already submitted their clarification in writing in response to an order by the constitutional bench on the same.

The court had also ordered to bring the original copies of the recommendation and decision made for dissolution of the House of Representatives from the Office of the President and of the Prime Minister, and the registrar related to the registration of the no confidence motion at the HoR. A total of 14 writ petitions were filed against the decision of the government to dissolve the House of Representatives on December 20.