KATHMANDU: The Supreme Court today continued the stay order issued on June 3 against the sacking of National Sports Council Member Secretary Yubaraj Lama.

A division bench of Chief Justice Damodar Prasad Sharma and Justice Om Prakash Mishra issued the order following today’s hearing. With this order, Lama can continue his service as the top official of the sports governing body till the final decision of the apex court.

The division bench did not change the stay order issued by a single bench of Justice Gopal Prasad Parajuli while another single bench of justice Mishra has set hearing on the contempt of court case filed against Youth and Sports Minister Purushottam Poudel tomorrow.

Directing to produce the both contempt of court case and the writ petition he had filed, the bench said that further process will be made tomorrow. Stating that he was appointed for four-year term and that the sacking was illegal therefore there was a need to intervene by the apex court as Youth and Sports Minister Purushottam Poudel had on May 16 ousted him illegally and issued a letter on him even after the apex court order not to come to the office. Challenging the order and also seeking action against the minister, Lama had filed the contempt of court case.

Lama had filed the petition seeking up to one year jail sentence, along with a fine of up to Rs 10,000, against the minister as per Article 102 (3) of the Interim Constitution of Nepal, 2007, and Section 7 (1) of the Supreme Court Act, 1992. In the letter, the minister had told him not to attend the NSC in capacity of member secretary from June 10. Lama has stated in his petition that he received the letter on June 11 and moved the court immediately.