Nepal SC issues interim order to block decision to suspend Central Bank Guv
Apr 19, 2022
Kathmandu [Nepal], April 19 : The Apex Court of Nepal has issued a short-term interim order not to implement the government's decision to suspend Central Bank's Governor Maha Prasad Adhikari.
A single bench of Judge Hari Prasad Phuyal issued a short-term interim order restraining the government from immediately implementing the decision to suspend the Governor of Nepal Rastra Bank, the Central Bank of the Himalayan Nation.
Issuing the interim order, the court also has summoned both the parties to the court for discussion. On Monday, the sacked Governor moved the court with a writ petition seeking annulment of the Cabinet decision.
The government suspended Adhikari and handed over the role of acting governor to Deputy Governor Neelam Dhungana.
Governor Adhikari was automatically suspended after the government formed a three-member inquiry committee to probe various allegations including leakage of confidential reports and non-cooperation.
The government had formed the three-member committee under the coordination of former judge Purushottam Bhandari and comprising Chandrakant Poudel and Surya Bahadur Thapa.
The committee had also started its investigation of the allegations made against Governor Adhikari on April 17. The probe committee was formed on April 8, the very date the Governor was suspended.
Governor Adhikari on April 18 had filed a writ petition in the Supreme Court against the decision of the Council of Ministers. Stating that the government dismissed him from the job without informing and without explanation, suspended Governor Adhikari has demanded the revocation of the decision.
Adhikari was appointed Governor of the Central Bank by the erstwhile KP Oli government in April of 2020, prior to which he served as the Chief Executive Officer of the Investment Board Nepal.
