Himal Press 
(from left) NC President Gagan Kumar Thapa, former Acting President Purna Bahadur Khadka and former President Sher Bahadur Deuba.
KATHMANDU: The Supreme Court has granted permission to review its earlier verdict in the dispute over the official leadership of the Nepali Congress (NC).
A division bench comprising Chief Justice Dr Manoj Kumar Sharma and Justices Nityananda Pandey and Shrikanta Paudel issued the order on Thursday.
The bench granted the review under Section 11(2)(b) of the Administration of Justice Act, 2016, observing that the earlier verdict delivered on April 17 may have overlooked established legal precedents.
“Since the order of the division bench of this court to uphold the Election Commission’s decision to update details without allowing the applicants to be heard dated April 17 appears to have overlooked legal principles set in two earlier Supreme Court precedents, permission for a judicial review is granted under Section 11(2)(b) of the Administration of Justice Act, 2016,” the order states.
The bench was hearing a petition for a review of the apex court’s earlier ruling filed by former NC President Sher Bahadur Deuba and former Acting President Purna Bahadur Khadka. The petition challenged the Supreme Court’s decision regarding the legality of the Central Working Committee elected by the party’s Special General Convention held in January.
A division bench of Justices Saranga Subedi and Nripadhwaj Niraula on April 17 upheld the Election Commission’s decision to recognize the Central Working Committee, with Gagan Kumar Thapa as President, elected by the Special General Convention. The bench had also dismissed Deuba’s petition, challenging the Election Commission’s decision to recognize Thapa-led Central Working Committee.
Deuba, who is currently in Singapore, had applied for a review of the apex court’s verdict through a proxy on July 23.
The latest order provides some relief to the party’s Deuba faction. If the Supreme Court overturns its earlier ruling during its review process, the leadership and Central Working Committee elected by the Special General Convention would lose their official recognition.
The Supreme Court’s full bench will now hear the case. The justices who delivered the earlier verdict will not be part of the panel conducting the review hearing.
