KATHMANDU:The Supreme Court today issued a mandamus order to the government to provide facilities and allowances to the witnesses of state cases.

A division bench of Justices Khil Raj Regmi and Bharat Raj Upreti issued the order directing the government authorities to implement the existing legal provision. The bench directed the authorities — Prime Minister’s Office, the Cabinet, Police Headquarters and various other ministries — to implement the legal provision.

As per the provision, the state-cases’ witnesses are entitled to facilities at par with non-gazetted government employees. The witnesses of the state-cases get such facilities while attending the court in relation to record their statement and assisting the court in any other hearing process. The apex court directed the government authorities to execute the provision of State Case Act, 1991; and State Case Rule, 1999, as per which, police office concerned has to provide

the witness the facilities such as travel allowance and other expenses for

attending the court.

The order came in response to a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by advocates Meera Dhungana and Lokhari Basyal some one-and-half years ago.