SC issues short-term interim order against registration of Ashok Rai-led JSP

Setopati

Kathmandu, May 15

The Supreme Court has issued a short-term interim order against the Election Commission’s decision to register the Ashok Rai-led Janata Samajwadi Party (JSP).

Rai and six other lawmakers split from the Upendra Yadav-led JSP Nepal on May 5 and filed an application at the Election Commission to register a new party with the name Janata Samajwadi Party. The Election Commission registered the new party on May 6.

The Commission has given people’s representatives elected from JSP Nepal 21 days to verify which party they belong to.

On May 13, Yadav filed a petition at the Supreme Court against the Commission’s decision to recognize the Rai-led party.

Hearing the petition on Wednesday, a bench of Justice Binod Sharma ordered the Commission to put registration of the new party and subsequent decisions related to the party on hold for the time being.

The court has also summoned both the parties for discussion on May 21.