Kathmandu, Oct 18 : The Supreme Court has annulled the laws providing for monthly facilities to the people’s representatives of local levels in six State Assemblies, except for State 1.
A constitutional bench comprising Chief Justice Cholendra Shamsher JB Rana and justices Deepak Kumar Karki, Kedar Prasad Chalise, Meera Khadka and Hari Krishna Karki gave the verdict to this effect today.
Supreme Court’s Information Officer Devendra Dhakal said the constitutional bench has announced the decision to rescind the laws related to the remuneration, salary and facilities the local level office-bearers had been drawing.
According to him, the Section 3 of the Act Providing for Facilities that the State Assembly of six States, except State 1, have been annulled as the provisions in the Act regarding the services and facilities legislated by the State Assemblies clashed with Article 220 (8) and Article 227 of the Constitution of Nepal.
The full text of the verdict would be made public on Sunday.
With this decision of the constitutional court, 29,500 local people’s representatives have been bereft of facilities.
The Supreme Court’s this decision comes in response to a writ filed on August 18 by Advocate Lokendra Bahadur KC arguing that the salary, allowances and remuneration the local level office-bearers were drawing were unconstitutional.
The constitutional bench on August 23 had issued a show cause to the State Assemblies on the reasons for them to legislate such laws in violation of the constitution.
The Article 220 (8) and Article 227 of the Constitution stipulate that the people’s representatives of the local levels could take facilities only.
