A single bench of Justice Tahir Ali Ansari issued an interim order after hearing on the writ petition filed by Advocate Bharat Jangam. [break]
The bench also issued a show cause notice to the cabinet, ministry of law and justice, office of the president and the prime minister office.
The SC´s interim order came at the time when the government is facing protests from various quarter against the move.
Advocate Jangam filed the writ petition at the apex court on Thursday claiming that the ordinance was in contravention to the Interim Constitution and the general principles of law. Also, the petitioner had claimed that the government could not provide such facilities through ordinance stating that an ordinance is effective only for 60 days.
The president on July 19 had approved the ordinance on providing state facilities including apartment, vehicles, fuel expenses and employee for their personal secretariat to former prime ministers, chief justices, speakers and home ministers since restoration of democracy in 1990.
Former prime ministers and CPN UML leaders Madhav Kumar Nepal and Jhalanath Khanal and former Speakers Ram Chandra Paudel and Subash Nembang have already returned the state vehicles.
Municipalities without facilities