Kathmandu, March 17:

Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal today defended the promulgation of ordinances by the government and withdrawal of cases against 349 people.

While furnishing written explanation to the Supreme Court in response to a show cause notice issued by the court, Prime Minister Dahal stated that the government issued the ordinances as per the Interim Constitution that authorised the government to issue ordinances in the absence of the legislature-parliament’s session.

“Since the ordinances were issued as per the constitution, there is no need to intervene by the apex court in the case,” he added.

The government had issued — Investment Board Ordinance, 2009; Ordinance to Declare Special Economic Zone, 2009; Public Service Commission Ordinance, 2009; Person Disappearance (Crime and Punishment) Ordinance, 2009, and Truth and Reconciliation Commission Ordinance, 2009.

Challenging the promulgation of the ordinances, advocate Madhav Kumar Basnet had filed a PIL in the SC.

Meanwhile, the PM also defended the withdrawal of cases against 349 people through a cabinet decision on October 27. Submitting a separate written explanation to the SC, the PM said the government took the decision as per the Government Case Act, 1992, which according to him, authorised the government to withdraw cases.

He also asked the apex court to quash the petition filed by Pyarilal Shahi, who challenged the cabinet decision in the SC.

The PM also added that the cases were withdrawn as per the Comprehensive Peace Accord in order to take the peace process to a logical conclusion.