Writ petition filed at SC demanding not to swear in Rabi Lamichhane as member of HoR

KATHMANDU, Dec 15: A writ petition has been filed at the Supreme Court (SC) demanding not to swear in Rabi Lamichhane, Chairman of Rastriya Swatantra Party, as a member of the House of Representatives (HoR).

Yubaraj Pandey from Sindhuli district filed the petition against Lamichhane on Wednesday.  

The Constitutional Bench is scheduled to conduct the hearing of the case on December 21. 

Lamichhane has been accused of not being a Nepali citizen and filing a candidacy and participating in the general election without being a Nepali citizen. 

Earlier a complaint was filed at the Election Commission and the Home Ministry stating that Lamichhane had received the citizenship and passport of the United States of America (USA) without quitting the citizenship and passport of Nepal. Investigation of the case is currently underway. 

The petitioner has also demanded to scrap Lamichhane’s membership of the Rastriya Swatantra Party and his position as the Chairman of the party maintaining that only a Nepali citizen can cast votes, be a candidate in the election and open a political party.