SC seeks written response from PM Karki in contempt of court case

KATHMANDU: The Supreme Court has ordered Prime Minister Sushila Karki to submit a written response in a contempt of court case.

A division bench of Justices Hari Prasad Phuyal and Abdul Aziz Musalman issued the order, hearing a writ petition filed by Advocate Prem Raj Silwal.

The interim government, on October 16, decided to recall 11 ambassadors appointed by the previous government. A writ petition was subsequently filed at the apex court challenging the decision. Hearing the petition, a division bench of Justices Saranga Subedi and Shreekant Paudel, on November 2, issued an interim order, directing the government to maintain the status quo and not implement the decision to recall the ambassadors immediately.

However, a day after the apex court’s order, the government instructed the 11 ambassadors to return and report to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Advocate Silwal argued in his petition that the government’s decision to recall the ambassador contravened the court’s order and amounted to contempt of court. He has demanded that the Prime Minister be held accountable for acting contrary to the court’s order

The bench has asked the Prime Minister to explain within 15 days “why an order, as demanded by the petitioner, should not be issued”.