Kathmandu, August 24:

The Supreme Court today called the Nepal FM to participate in a hearing on the petition filed by the government against the stay order issued by the apex court on August 10, which allowed FM stations to air news.

A division bench of justices Khil Raj Regmi and Paramanda Jha issued the order following today’s hearing. Saying that it would be better to arrive at a decision on the issue after listening to both the parties, the bench said: “The petitioner (Nepal FM) should be invited for the discussion.”

The apex court ordered the managing director of the Nepal FM, Bishnu Hari Dhakal, to attend the bench within seven days. Challenging the stay order, the Ministry of Information and Communications had moved SC on Sunday, saying the government had authority to monitor the FM stations. Issuing the stay order, a division bench of justice Anup Raj Sharma had ordered the government not to take any action against the FM for broadcasting news.