KATHMANDU: The Supreme Court (SC) has 30 pending cases related to telecommunications giant Ncell.
These cases, spanning various legal disputes involving the company over the past five years, await resolution in Nepal’s highest court.
Most of these pending cases have yet to be reviewed, indicating a lack of prioritization for matters concerning a company that annually handles billions of rupees in business.
One such case, a writ petition filed by Ncell against the Office of the Prime Minister and the Council of Ministers on October 31, 2018, remains undecided by the Supreme Court.
According to Supreme Court records, the government issued a ‘show cause order’ on November 2, 2018, concerning the case, which has seen 26 adjournments and 10 instances where it was not brought up for review.
The file was only recently handed over for action on May 17, 2024.
Similarly, cases filed by Ncell against the Ministry of Finance and the Internal Revenue Department have faced delays, with orders to proceed issued on January 10, 2021, and February 5, 2021, respectively, but only set for hearing on May 13, 2024.
In another instance, after an interim order on January 1, 2022, the Supreme Court instructed the case filed against the Ministry of Information, Technology and Communication, Radio Frequency Determination Committee, and Nepal Telecommunication Authority to undergo full hearing after 23 adjournments and 9 instances of non-review.
Furthermore, 12 additional cases involving Ncell as the respondent, including those filed by the Big Taxpayer’s Office, advocate, MP Amresh Kumar Singh, and others, remain undecided.
Five of these cases pertain to income tax and advance income tax disputes.
The prolonged procedural delays highlight the complexity and significance of legal battles involving Ncell within Nepal’s judicial system.
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