Supreme Court issues interim order not to implement citizenship ordinance

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NL Today

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Kathmandu: The Supreme Court (SC) on Thursday issued an interim order not to implement the citizenship ordinance.

A Constitutional Bench chaired by Chief Justice Cholendra Shumsher JBR that includes Justices Deepak Kumar Karki, Mira Khadka, Hari Krishna Karki, and Ishwor Prasad Khatiwada passed the order. The bench is hearing six writs filed against the ordinance. The bench ordered to keep the ordinance on hold saying that the ordinance cannot be issued as an urgent matter by violating the jurisdiction of the Parliament to formulate laws.

“In such issue, it is appropriate to make arrangement through the Act made by the federal parliament with the passage of the bill. It is the right constitutional process of making law,” the ordinance reminded the government, adding, “There is no judicial relevance of implementation of the ordinance at present.”

President Bidya Devi Bhandari on May 23 had issued the Nepal Citizenship (First Amendment) Ordinance on the recommendation of the Cabinet.

The KP Sharma Oli-led government has brought the ordinance to rope in the Mahantha Thakur-Rajendra Mahato faction of the Janata Samajbadi Party into the government.