Himalayan News Service

Kathmandu, May 13:

The Supreme Court today issued an interim order to the government authorities not to admit students to the Tindhara Sanskrit Hostel till May 24.

A single bench of justice Hari Jung Sijapati issued the order following a hearing on a writ petition filed yesterday challenging students’ forceful eviction from the hostel on April 24.

Senior advocate Radheshyam Adhikary and advocates Harihar Dahal and Pushpa Bhusal pleaded on behalf of the students.

The apex court told the authorities — the Ministry of Education and Sports, Home Ministry and Police Headquarters, Mahendra Sanskrit University, Dang, Vice-Chancellor’s Office of the Balmiki Bidhayapeeth, and the Hostel Management Committee — to maintain status quo.

The bench told the authorities to submit written explanation before the apex court within 14 days.

President of the Hostel Working Committee, Nischal Adhikary, president of the students’ Union of Bidhyapeeth, Laxman Acha-rya, and advocate Navaraj Khatiwada had filed the petition challenging the authorities’ move to evacuate students from the hostel.

They claimed that the eviction notice violated the students’ fundamental rights guaranteed by Articles 11, 12 and 18 of the 1990 Constitution.

Hostel officials had served a 24-hour eviction notice to the residents.

According to the petitioners, the authorities are planning to admit new students by publishing a public notice.