KATHMANDU: The Supreme Court has paved the way for a by-election in Manang Provincial Assembly Constituency-2 to be held on November 3 (Kartik 17).
The seat had remained vacant after Rajiv Gurung, widely known as Deepak Manange, was convicted in a criminal case and stripped of his position as a Gandaki Province Assembly member.
Uncertainty had persisted due to the delayed release of the full text of the verdict. With Monday’s publication of the judgment, the Election Commission can now proceed with the by-election on the same date already set for other constituencies.
The Commission is expected to expedite necessary procedures, including party registrations, to ensure the poll is conducted on time.
In its ruling, the Supreme Court confirmed that Gurung was ineligible to hold office under constitutional and electoral provisions, as he had not completed the six-year period following his criminal sentence. The Constitutional Bench, led by Chief Justice Bishwambhar Prasad Shrestha along with Justices Sapana Pradhan Malla, Kumar Regmi, Hari Prasad Phuyal, and Kumar Chudal, had invalidated his membership in June.
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