Stay on Madhesi quota

HIMALAYAN NEWS SERVICE

KATHMANDU: The Supreme Court today continued its stay order issued on August 22 directing the government and Nepali Army to stop the recruitment process in Nepali Army in the reservation seats for Madhesi quota.

The bench, however, gave its nod to proceed with recruitment in other posts except the 15-seat Madhesi quota.

Citing the principle of balance of convenience, a division bench of Chief Justice Khil Raj Regmi and Sushila Karki stayed recruitment in the reservation quota but gave the go-ahead order for other seats.

As not a single person had passed the written examination, the apex court had issued the stay order in response to a Public Interest Litigation on August 22. The hearing on whether to extend the earlier stay order was scheduled for today .

Stating that Nepali Army did not pass even a single person from the Tarai in its written examination process for recruit 81 officer cadets (66 through open competition and 15 under reservation category), Nand Kishor Yadav of Sitapur VDC, Siraha had moved the apex court.

The NA had sought applications from interested candidates on March 29 and the results of the written exam were published on July 25.

According to the petitioner, there were some Madhesis among 3,360 applicants who had cleared the IQ test conducted by the NA but there was not even a single Madhesi among 356 applicants who had passed the written test. Yadav himself had cleared the IQ test but had failed in the written test.

The petitioner also accused the government authorities of breaching the four-point deal signed by the ruling UCPN Maoist with the Madhesi Front while forming the present government.

The four-point deal states that the Baburam Bhattarai-led government should focus on initiating the process of ensuring representation of the Madhesi community in the army.