The Supreme Court (SC) has refused to issue interim order in the petition challenging Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB) Governor Maha Prasad Adhikari's qualifications.
Advocate Dipak Raj Joshi moved the SC on Thursday claiming that Adhikari did not meet qualifications to become NRB governor.
The bench of Justice Sushma Lata Mathema conducting first hearing in the petition has refused to issue interim order prohibiting Governor Adhikari from carrying out his duty as demanded by the petitioner. The bench, however, has asked Adhikari to furnish written response clarifying why the order demanded by the petitioner should not be issued.
The petitioners have claimed that Adhikari’s appointment was not according to Section 20 of the Nepal Rastra Bank Act, 2002.
Section 20 of the Act states: “In order to be appointed to the post of governor, deputy governor and directors, a person shall have to meet the following qualifications: (a) A Nepali citizen; (b) Having higher moral character; (c) Having work experience in economic, monetary, banking, financial and commercial law sectors after having attained at least a master's degree in economics, monetary, banking, finance, commerce, management, public administration, statistics, mathematics and law."
The petitioner pointed that Adhikari had completed only chartered accountancy and did not meet the requirements.
This is not the first time the SC has been moved about Adhikari, A similar petition was taken to the SC when he was made the chief executive officer of the Investment Board by the KP Sharma Oli government. But the SC had revoked the petition.
The Oli government later appointed Oli as NRB governor.
