KATHMANDU: The Supreme Court (SC) has issued a short-term interim order in response to a writ petition filed by Upendra Yadav against the division of the Janata Samajbadi Party (JSP) Nepal.

Chairman of JSP Nepal, Yadav, lodged a petition with the apex court challenging the Election Commission’s decision to recognize the faction led by Ashok Rai as a separate entity.

Yadav also urged the court to nullify the election body’s ruling.

During the hearing, the single bench presided over by Judge Binod Sharma has summoned both parties to appear for discussions on May 21, postponing all proceedings related to the party’s split.

Senior leader Ashok Rai, along with seven other lawmakers from JSP Nepal, formed a new party named Janata Samajbadi Party on May 5, while Chairman Yadav was attending a United Nations event in the United States of America.