Bindabasini Kansakar can now be sworn in as member of House of Representatives

KATHMANDU: The apex court has cleared the path for Bindabasini Kansakar, an acid attack survivor and member of the Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP), to take the oath of office and secrecy as a member of the House of Representatives.

A division bench of Supreme Court Justices Kumar Regmi and Nahakul Subedi denied interim order on a writ petition filed by Dhaka Kumar Shrestha of RSP.

The RSP had expelled Shrestha from the party’s general membership and notified the Federal Parliament Secretariat and the Election Commission of its decision after Shrestha was heard soliciting Rs 20 million from hospital operator Durga Prasain in a leaked audio clip. Following Shrestha’s expulsion, the party nominated Bindyabasini Kansakar to fill the vacant position. Kansakar has already received an election certificate from the Election Commission.

However, the swearing-in ceremony got delayed after Shrestha’s filed a petition at the apex court contesting the RSP’s decision. The Supreme Court on May 8 issued a temporary order directing the RSP to suspend its decision to expel Shrestha which subsequently postponed Kansakar’s swearing-in.

Legal experts say that the latest decision by the apex court paves the way for Kansakar’s swearing-in as a member of the House of Representatives.