KATHMANDU: The Supreme Court today said survey, investigation, feasibility study, research and exploration carried over any natural resource does not mean their division.

Interpreting that these things are required before signing a treaty, the apex court said such feasibility study on any resource does not need the parliamentary approval of two-third majority. Issuing a full text judgment on a writ petition regarding the use of natural resources, a division bench of Justices Bala Ram KC and Krishna Prasad Upadhyay upheld the MoU signed between the government and Satluj Jala Vidyut Nigam (SJVN) on March 8, 2008. “This is not against the Constitution and does not need the parliamentary approval as required by Article 156 (2) of the Interim Constitution, 2007,” the bench observed, interpreting that only signing of a treaty required the parliamentary approval. The bench said since the MoU with the SJVN was merely an understanding and had no need of the parliamentary approval.