KATHMANDU: The Supreme Court has issued an interim order staying the appointment of Deepak Pathak to the post of member of the Press Council Nepal.

A single bench of Justice Cholendra Shumsher JB Rana on Wednesday issued the interim order in the name of the government, directing it not to implement the appointment of Pathak, said SC Joint Spokesperson, Bishworaj Paudel.

A journalist Ram Kumar Yalan on Tuesday had registered a writ petition at the SC calling for a stay order against the appointment of Pathak, for his alleged involvement in illegal activities.

The interim order withholds the decision of the Ministry of Information and Communications taken on April 29.

The Ministry on April 29 had decided to appoint three persons including Pathak to the vacant posts of members at the media regulatory body.