KATHMANDU: Resham Lal Chaudhary, patron of the Nagarik Unmukti Party (Nepal), has been barred from contesting the House of Representatives election scheduled for March 5.
Hearing a writ petition filed by Chaudhary seeking permission to contest the election, the Supreme Court ruled that he is not eligible to run. A single bench of Justice Balkrishna Dhakal issued only a show-cause order, effectively leaving his candidacy invalid.
Chaudhary had moved the Supreme Court challenging the Election Commission’s decision to cancel his candidacy. The commission had disqualified him on the grounds that, despite receiving a presidential pardon, records of his conviction and prison sentence remain legally valid.
He had filed his nomination from Kailali Constituency No. 1. However, the Election Commission annulled his candidacy based on complaints linked to the Tikapur incident.
Chaudhary, who was sentenced to life imprisonment in connection with the Tikapur case and later granted a presidential pardon, had argued in his petition that his candidacy should remain valid and that he should be allowed to contest the election.
With the Supreme Court issuing only a show-cause order and not an interim relief, Chaudhary will not be able to participate in the upcoming parliamentary election.
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