KATHMANDU: The Supreme Court ( SC) has scrapped the decision of the previous government to provide financial assistance of Rs. 200,000 each to the Maoist former combatants verified as minors and late recruits by the then United Nations Mission in Nepal (UNMIN).

A division bench of justice Ram Kumar Prasad Shah and Gyanendra Bahadur Karki on Friday scrapped the September 2012 directives issued by the government for distributing financial assistance to the Maoist former combatants from the state coffers through a certiorari order.

The court verdict states that the government directives on financial assistance to the former Maoist combatants and decision to approve it was against the constitutional provisions and thereby it is scrapped with the certiorari order.

Besides, the court has issued an interim order in the name of the government, directing it not to dole out financial assistance from the state coffer, going against the law.

With this apex court decision, Rs. 600 million including other administrative expenses needed for the assistance distribution will be saved.

If the decision was implemented, Rs 600 million had to be paid from the state coffer to 3,000 verified Maoist combatants.

Advocates Bishwas Acharya, Bimala Bartaula and Radha Sigdel had filed a writ petition at the SC, demanding the scrapping of the government’s September 2012 decision.

They claimed that such decision taken for the interests of party cadres and supporters is an ‘arbitrary one’ and an ‘example of corruption’. 

The petition had named the then Prime Minister Dr Baburam Bhattarai and Council of Ministers and the ministries of home affairs, and peace and reconstruction as the defendants.

KATHMANDU: The Supreme Court on Tuesday issued a show cause notice in the name of the Government to explain the reason behind the re-appointment of the former office-bearers of the Election Commission.

A single bench of Justice Girish Chandra Lal issued the order asking the defendants to be present before the court along with a written explanation within the next 15 days.

In the petition filed by Bhagrit Shaha Kanu of Birgunj and by Prabin Kumar Lava of Mahottari, Office of the President, Office of the Council of Ministers, the Constitutional Council and the appointed office-bearers have been named as the defendants.

KATHMANDU: Nepal’s apex court on Monday issued directives to the Chairman of Interim Electoral Council Khilaraj Regmi for not executing any task by assuming the power of Chief Justice.

Though Regmi has been leading the IEC as per the political understanding between political parties, he has not resigned as Chief Justice of the Supreme Court which he plans to rejoin after a political government is formed by holding CA elections.

A single bench sitting of supreme court justice Girish Chandra Lal imposed such restriction upon Regmi while responding to writ petition filed by advocate Dr. Chandra Kant Gyanwali.

In the petition Gyanwali had urged the court to restrict Regmi from addressing himself as the Chief Justice until he is chairman to the IEC and also for restricting him from performing any role in the capacity of Chief Justice.

KATHMANDU: Nearly six years after signing the Comprehensive Peace Accord (CPA) and entering into mainstream politics, Nepal’s former rebellion party- UCPN Maoist- has accepted using children during the armed insurgency.

Responding to a writ petition filed at the Supreme Court, Prime Minister and Vice Chairman of the party Dr Baburam Bhattarai accepted using child soldiers to fight with the state force, Nepali daily newspaper Nepali Samacharpatra reported on Sunday.

The writ petition was filed at the court against the government’s decision to provide Rs 2 lakhs to each of the child soldiers and late PLAs disqualified by UNMIN during its initial verification process.

In its written response, the PM has accepted of recruiting child soldiers during the armed insurgency and argued that it was agreed to pay these under-age militia and other disqualified combatants an amount of Rs 2 lakhs.

During the initial week of October, the government had decided to pay off the amount to these combatants. However the decision was challenged by the opposition stating that it was against the CPA.

” Of the 4 thousand and 8 Maoist PLAs disqualified by UNMIN on the basis of underage and of their recruitment date, the government has decided to pay Rs 2 lakhs to each of the combatants disqualified for being under age. The government hopes that the amount will help these ex-combatants to rehabilitate in the society,” the newspaper quoted the PM as stating in the written reply to the court.