Kathmandu, April 17:

Officials of the Supreme Court today organised a civil disobedience (Bhadra Abagya) on the Supreme Court premises in support of the ongoing movement for democracy.

The SC officials organised an hour-long disobedience programme and held a separate pen-down programme for half an hour.

“This is a symbolic support for the movement for restoration of democracy and opposition to government’s suppression of lawyers and other professionals,” officials told reporters after the programme. Over 100 gazetted and non-gazetted officials participated in the disobedience programme, the first of its kind for Nepal’s judiciary. “Since common people and other government officials have come out on the streets in support of the ongoing movement, we too want to lend our moral support,” they added.

Meanwhile, demanding the implementation of the SC verdict on the Royal Commission for Corruption Control (RCCC), lawyers today organised a separate sit-in and torch rally on the premises of the Nepal Bar Association (NBA). About 500 lawyers took part in the sit-in.

“Since the verdict clearly indicates that sovereignty is vested in the people, the King should implement the SC verdict immediately,” senior advocate Radheshyam Adhikary said. He said the King had been exercising executive power even after the SC verdict. “Respecting the verdict, the King should immediately dissolve the government,” Adhikary added. Senior advocates Krishna Prasad Bhandari, Shree Hari Aryal, former president of NBA Harihar Dahal, present NBA vice-president Sher Bahadur KC, and general secretary Madhav Banskota too urged the King to dissolve the government immediately.