Writ Petition filed against Rabi Lamichhane at Supreme Court

KATHMANDU, April 3: A writ has been filed in the Supreme court against the Rashtriya Swatantra Party President Rabi  Lamichhane in the matter of taking a Nepali passport while remaining an American citizen. The petition was filed by Yuvaraj Paudel 'Safal' on Sunday.

It was registered on Monday after the chief registrar studied the writ. The filing of the writ is scheduled for Tuesday.

Paudel is demanding that an injunction should be issued in the name of the opponents to investigate and file a case against Lamichhane, who as an American citizen, took a Nepali passport. While there is no dispute, that claiming to be a Nepali citizen while being an American citizen and obtaining a Nepali passport by filling out a passport application form is an act and offense against Section 5(b) of the Passport Act, 2024, he claimed that it was clear that it is prejudicial for the Attorney General to decide not to prosecute Ravi Lamichhane.

Similarly, Paudel also claimed that the Attorney General went beyond his jurisdiction and concluded that there was no criminal intention of Lamichhane in obtaining the passport.

Paudel has demanded that the details of how the passport was used (misused) at what time and for what purpose, should be taken from the Immigration Department. 

Paudel has also mentioned in the writ to issue an interim order in the name of the opponents including the Election Commission per Rule 49 of the Supreme Court Rules 2074 to prevent Lamichhane from exercising his political rights as a Nepalese citizen until a discussion between the two sides is held.