Contempt Case Filed Against Prime Minister Karki Over Ambassador Recall

Mangsir 1, Kathmandu. A case of contempt has been filed against Prime Minister Sushila Karki accusing her of non-implementation of the Supreme Court's stay order to maintain a status quo on recalling ambassadors. This is the first writ filed against Karki, who was also the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court. The petition was filed by advocate Prem Silwal and it has been scheduled for the next hearing on Mangsir 7.

The controversy emanates from Ashoj 30 when the current government that was formed after the Jen-G movement decided to recall ambassadors of 11 countries, appointed during the previous government's tenure. The decision was challenged in the Supreme Court, and an interim order was issued by a bench consisting of Justices Saranga Subedi and Shrikant Paudel on Kartik 16, ordering the government to maintain the status quo and not to implement the recall of ambassadors until further orders.

The very next day, despite the interim order from the Supreme Court, the ambassadors were recalled by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs under the direct tutelage of Prime Minister Karki, who ordered the recalled ambassadors to report and present themselves there. They have begun doing so.

The writ petition filed alleging that the Prime Minister directly breached the order issued by the Supreme Court, therefore amounting to contempt of court. Legal experts say the case could set a significant precedent regarding enforcement of court orders against sitting heads of government and adherence to the judiciary’s directives.

The issue has attracted unprecedented publicity, with political analysts, legal experts, and civil society members keeping a close watch on the move, pointing to a conflict between the executive and the judiciary in Nepal.