• The SC order allows the govt to suspend SWC Member Secretary Bhatta

Kathmandu, Sept 13

The Supreme Court today vacated its interim order issued against the government’s decision to transfer Member Secretary of Social Welfare Council Dilli Prasad Bhatta to the Ministry of Women, Children and Senior Citizens.

A full bench of justices Ishwar Prasad Khatiwada, Prakash Man Singh and Dambar Bahadur Shahi decided to vacate the interim order. With this new order of the apex court, the government can now suspend Bhatta and carry out investigation into the allegation of corruption against him.

This case was referred to a full bench as a division bench comprising justices Hari Krishna Karki and Anil Kumar Sinha had given their differing opinion in the case with Karki favouring to vacate the interim order and Sinha favouring to continue the interim order.

Bhatta had moved the court after Minister of Women, Children and Senior Citizens Tham Maya Thapa suspended him and put him on deputation at the ministry.

Bhatta moved the court, saying his deputation at the ministry was in violation of law.  A single bench had issued an interim order to the government on August 14 against which the government had filed a petition.