KATHMANDU: The Supreme Court today issued show cause notices to the government authorities on why the elections to the local bodies have not been held.

A single bench of Justice Damodar Prasad Sharma issued the order following today's hearing. Giving priority to the case, the bench said final hearing on the case would be conducted within 10 days of receiving written explanations from the government authorities concerned.

The bench directed Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal and the Office of the Prime Minister and Cabinet to furnish written explanation within 15 days on why the apex court intervention is not required on the issue.

Demanding the apex court intervention to hold the election to local bodies as per Article 139 of the Interim Constitution, advocates Chandra Kanta Gyawali, Parshu Ram Upadhyay, Shiv Ram Timalsena and Bimal Gyawali had jointly moved the apex court.

The petitioners had argued that the absence of elected representatives in the local bodies had been undermining the sovereignty of people and creating hurdles in implementing democracy at local level.