Prakash Kafle/Kathmandu. The Supreme Court has dismissed a petition filed against former President Bidya Devi Bhandari’s decision to waive fines for candidates who did not submit their election expense reports during the 2079 (2022) local elections.
The joint bench of Justices Manoj Kumar Sharma and Meghraj Pokharel ruled to reject the petition.
The petition was filed by advocate Savin Pokharel on Falgun 10, 2079. At that time, the Election Commission had decided, according to the law, to impose fines on candidates who failed to submit their election expense statements. The total number of such candidates was 123,624, with a cumulative fine of approximately NPR 2.463 billion presented in the petition.
However, following a recommendation from the Council of Ministers, former President Bhandari waived these fines on Falgun 5, 2079.
Initially, the court had ordered submission of the hearing note and planned to deliver the verdict on Kartik 24, 2079, but the date was postponed due to damage, arson, and vandalism at the Supreme Court during the Gen-z movement.
सर्वोच्च अदालतले राष्ट्रपति भण्डारीको जरिवाना माफीविरुद्धको रिट खारेज गर्यो
