KATHMANDU: The Supreme Court of Nepal on Thursday issued a show cause order to the Nepali Congress and its president, Sher Bahadur Deuba, on a contempt of court case.

Advocate Hari Prasad Mainali had dragged the largest party, which is also a major ally in the ruling coalition, and its leader to the apex court after the party's Central Working Committee decided that the Supreme Court’s order to revoke the Cabinet decision regarding appointment of Jaya Bahadur Chand as the Nepal Police’s chief was an invasion into the executive’s jurisdiction. The petitioner has claimed that Deuba's March 31 statement in Biratnagar, in which he said the IGP appointment was the government’s job [and not court's], was tantamount to the disrespect to the Supreme Court.

A single bench of Justice Ishwori Prasad Khatiwada began hearing on the case yesterday.

In the order, the defendants have been asked to forge a written clarification to the apex court within 10 days of receiving the notice.

If convicted in a contempt of court case, defendants will have to face a jail term of up to one year and a penalty of Rs 1,00,000 or both as per the Nyaya Prashashan Ain, 2073 (Administration of Justice Act, 2016), which came into effect in September 2016.

 SEE ALSO:

• Cabinet appoints Jaya Bahadur Chand Nepal Police IG
• SC revokes Chand’s appointment as Nepal Police chief, paves the way for Silwal
• Contempt of court case against Nepali Congress