Kathmandu, August 19

The Supreme Court has issued an interim order to the government asking it not to remove Kishor Shrestha from the post of acting chairperson of the Nepal Press Council. The government had removed Shrestha from the post and appointed Durga Bhandari as the new acting chairperson of counciyesterday.

The interim order was passed by Justice Ishwar Prasad Khatiwada in response to a writ petition filed by Nepal Press Council member Chetanath Dhamala. The government had appointed Bhandari as the acting chair of the council after adding Rule 3 (a) in the Nepal Press Council Regulation, which allowed the government to appoint a member of the council as an acting chair.

The apex court stayed the implementation of Rule 3 (a) of Nepal Press Council Regulation.

The petitioner argued that Nepal Press Council Act allowed its members to choose acting chairperson from among them and the recent amendment to Nepal Press Council Regulation that allowed the government to name acting chairperson was against the spirit of the law and press freedom and autonomy. The government had appointed Bhandari as a member of the council on August 10 and acting chairperson on August 16. As per Nepal Press Council Act, the government only had the power to appoint chairperson of the council but the power to appoint acting chairperson rested with the board of the Nepal Press Council, according to Shrestha. Dhamala had moved the SC on Monday challenging the amendment to Nepal Press Council Regulation.

copy- The himalayan times