NSP’s Devkota challenges decision to suspend him in apex court

KATHMANDU: Suspended Member of the Gandaki Province Assembly, Phanindra Devkota, has filed a writ petition at the Supreme Court challenging the action taken against him.

CPN (Maoist Center) suspended Devkota after he defied the party whip to support the motion of vote of confidence tabled by Chief Minister Surendra Raj Pandey on June 10. Devkota was then appointed Minister for Energy and Water Supply of the provincial government.

Devkota, a Nepal Samajbadi Party (NSP) leader, was elected to the Gandaki Province Assembly using the Maoist Center’s election symbol.

“The Maoist Center, of which I am not a member, cannot take any disciplinary or other action regarding my decision to vote in favor of the motion of vote of confidence taken as per the direction of my party,” Devkota has argued in his petition. “I represent the Nepal Samajbadi Party, which is duly registered with the Election Commission, in the Gandaki Province Assembly. My party is not a shadow party of any other party. The Maoist Center does not have the legal, political, or constitutional authority to seek clarification regarding the vote of confidence that I cast in the Gandaki Provincial Assembly. I was also not a candidate nominated by the Maoist Center.”

Devkota has demanded an interim order from the Supreme Court, as per Rule 49 of the Supreme Court Rules, 2017, to allow him to function as a member of the Gandaki Province Assembly.