Contempt of Court Case Against Mayor Balendra Shah Scheduled for Hearing

Kathmandu. A contempt of court case against Mayor Balendra Shah (Balen) has been scheduled for a hearing. The case has been assigned to a joint bench of Supreme Court Justices Hari Prasad Phuyal and Shanti Singh Thapa.

The contempt of court petition, filed by Advocate Barsha Kumari Jha, alleges that the Mayor committed contempt by stating he would not abide by court orders. Previously, the Mayor's request for legal representation by proxy was denied. On Baisakh 3, Mayor Balen filed a fresh application seeking permission for representation by proxy.

Mayor Balen had previously deployed metropolitan police to cinemas, declaring that no Indian films would be allowed to screen in Nepal until the phrase 'India's daughter' was removed from the film 'Adipurush'.

Following this, the Film Association, an umbrella organization of cinema hall owners, filed a writ petition at the Patan High Court. The court issued a short-term interim order directing that the decision to ban the screening of Hindi films should not be implemented immediately.

Upon learning of the order issued by the single bench of High Court Judge Dhir Bahadur Chand, Balen stated that he would not obey court orders when it came to matters of sovereignty and independence. Balen wrote on social media, 'When it comes to the sovereignty and independence of the country, I will not abide by any law or court.'

Balen further alleged that the state and the judiciary were subservient to India. Advocate Jha filed the contempt petition, arguing that Balen's remarks were unconstitutional and contrary to the rule of law.