KATHMANDU: The Supreme Court today issued an interim order in the name of the Ministry of Commerce and Supplies, directing it not to put off the implementation of Petroleum Products and Gas Transaction (Regulatory) Orders, 2013, which allows the private sector to do petroleum products business.

Chief Justice Ram Kumar Prasad Shah issued a show cause and interim order in response to a writ filed by Advocate Rastra Bimochan Timalsena who had argued that the ministry cannot prevent the private sectors from doing business of petroleum products.

The interim order will remain in effect until the apex court delivers its final verdict, said Baburam Dahal, Assistant Spokesperson for the Supreme Court.

“The Cabinet passed the orders with the aim of promoting participation of private sector in the petroleum business and its implementation cannot be put off by an individual minister,” the petitioner had argued in the writ.

The petitioner also argued that the Petroleum Products and Gas Transaction (Regulatory) Orders, 2013, were adopted by the Cabinet, however, MoCS arbitrarily denied its implementation.