Kathmandu, September 24:

A five-member special bench of the Supreme Court today began hearing on whether to review a provision of the Constituent Assembly Member Election Act 2007 that prevents persons indicted by the high-level Rayamajhi Commission from contesting the constituent assembly elections to be held on November 22.

The bench formed today by the Supreme Court comprises justices Anup Raj Sharma, Balram KC, Top Bahadur Magar, Damodar Prasad Sharma and Kalyan Shresatha.

Advocates Bishnu Bhattarai, Kamalesh Dwevedi and Dharma Regmi pleaded on behalf of former ministers indicted by the Rayamajhi Commission report.

Senior advocate Ganesh Raj Sharma and advocate Bal Krishna Neupane will argue on Wednesday on behalf of the petitioners and Attorney General Yagya Murti Banjade would plead on behalf of the government.

Challenging Clause 19 (G) of the Constituent Assembly Member Election Act 2007, former ministers including Kamal Thapa and Tanka Prasad Dhakal had moved the apex court seeking its order to review the provision as it infringes their fundamental rights.

They have claimed that the provision is contradictory to provisions in the Interim Constitution 2007.