A single bench of justice Tahir Ali Ansari passed the order after deliberations by the lawyers of Sabitri Shrestha, the sister of Ujjan Shrestha who was killed by Dhungel in 2004. The Supreme Court had convicted Dhungel for the murder in 2010. [break]
Shrestha moved the court last Thursday with a writ petition seeking the apex court´s intervention to block the government recommendation to President Dr Ram Baran Yadav. The government recommended the pardon despite opposition from national and international human rights groups.
The Supreme Court said it would take a decision on whether to stay the government´s pardon decision after hearing from lawyers of the plaintiff -- Shrestha -- and the defendants -- the prime minister and the president, among others -- on November 21. For this, the court has ordered the lawyers of both sides to be present before the court November 21.
Mindful of the gravity of the case that has rocked national politics, the bench drew the attention of the chief justice to assign a special bench to hear the petition.
Meanwhile, Nepali Congress sister organizations including Nepal Women´s Association and Nepal Students´ Union jointly organized a protest in Kathmandu against the government´s recommendation to the president to pardon lawmaker Dhungel.
Similarly, CPN-UML´s All Nepal National Free Students´ Union and Nepali Congress´ Nepal Students´ Union jointly held a torch rally in Kathmandu and burnt an effigy of the prime minister on Sunday evening protesting the government´s recommendation to pardon Dhungel.
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