KATHMANDU: The Supreme Court has barred teachers from party politics.

Issuing an interim order on Monday, the apex court urged the teachers not to take part in party conventions and not to join the working committee of any political party.

Earlier, a writ petition was filed in the Supreme Court alleging that the teachers of public institutions were elected as delegates to the Nepali Congress (NC) General Convention and that it was against the prevailing law.

A single bench of Justice Tej Bahadur KC issued an order to the teachers elected as delegates of the NC General Convention not to be voters in the convention and working committee of any level.

Advocate Bhakta Bahadur Basnet and others had filed a writ petition against the teachers saying that they should not become voters in the convention and should not join the working committee of any political party.

The Supreme Court is of the view that the prevailing law prohibits the teachers of public schools, who fall under the government employee category, from participating in politics and even has the provision of punishment if they participate.

Earlier, the Election Commission had directed teachers, staff and professors not to join political parties. The subordinate election office has been instructed to remove the responsibility of the party member if found guilty.

According to sub-section (2) of section 14 of the Political Parties Act, 2016, a person holding the post of professor, teacher or employee of an autonomous institution owned or controlled by the Government of Nepal, state government or local level cannot be a member of a political party.