SC suspends EC’s directive to relieve mayors

The Supreme Court has issued an interim order not to implement the EC’s decision to relieve mayors of two municipalities of their position.

Earlier, the Election Commission had decided to relieve Rina Kumari Saha, mayor of Maulapur municipality,  and Siyaram Kushwaha, mayor of Katahariya municipality of their position.

A single bench of Justice Dr Kumar Chudal on Tuesday issued the order not to implement the decision to take actions against Saha and Kushwaha. “The petitioners neither have tendered resignation from their existing posts nor have they obtained membership of another party and formed a new party with their involvement”, reads the order. “Do not implement the information, circular and correspondence of the Election Commission until the final decision on the writ petition”, the apex court order noted.

The apex court order came at a time when it was not ascertained whether they have defected the CPN (Maoist Centre) to another party and tendered their resignations. The court has also instructed the Election Commission to furnish a response in writing within 15 days as the absence of people elected chief of the local government (executive) would adversely affect the operations of the local level.

On last April 27, the CPN (Maoist Centre) had sent a letter to the Election Commission to relieve local people elected representatives of various districts including mayor duo Saha and Kushwaha of their positions after they defected to the CPN (UML).

Acting on the letter, the EC on June 25 had published a notice that the defectors were relieved of their positions. The discontent mayor duo had registered a writ petition at the apex court challenging the decision of the EC.