Kathmandu, December 26

The Patan High Court has prohibited any sort of protest activities inside banks.

Issuing an interim order today, the single bench of Justice Tek Narayan Kuwar today issued the order restricting protest activities in bank offices, especially by workers’ union, citing that banking is an essential service.

The order states that protest inside banks is against the Essential Service Operation Act 2014, which has kept banking sector as a sector that provides essential service to the public.

“Banking sector comes under essential service provider. Thus, no one should organise activities that directly affect operation of a bank and its service,” reads the interim order.

Earlier, Upendra Bahadur Karki from Nadep Laghubitta Bittiya Sanstha had filed a case against such activities organised by banking staffers and workers’ union in banks and financial institutions.

Following today’s hearing on the case, the Patan High Court has also summoned both parties — the writ petitioner and trade unions — for discussion.