Yadav moves SC to bar defectors from PM’s trust vote

KATHMANDU: Janata Samajbadi Party Nepal (JSP Nepal) Chairperson Upendra Yadav has filed a writ petition at the Supreme Court, seeking the apex court’s order to restrict seven lawmakers, who defected from the party, from participating in the trust vote process in the House of Representatives.

Advocate Jai Shankar Jha filed the petition on behalf of JSP Nepal Chairperson Yadav on Sunday, according to Govinda Ghimire, the information officer for the apex court. The court is hearing the petition on Monday.

Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal is taking a floor test in the House of Representatives on Monday.

Seven lawmakers of JSP Nepal led by Ashok Kumar Rai defected from the party and registered the Janata Samajbadi Party (JSP) with the Election Commission (EC). The EC has already granted a party registration certificate to Rai.

However, Yadav challenged the registration of the party at the Supreme Court. Hearing the petition, the apex court directed the EC to maintain a status quo on party registration and invited both parties to attend a hearing on Tuesday.

Yadav moved the apex court after Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal scheduled a vote of confidence process before the apex court gave its final verdict in the case.