SC stays info classification; govt not to implement decision

KATHMANDU, Jan 31: The Supreme Court (SC) on Tuesday stayed until February 5 the decision of the government to classify 140 kinds of information, and ordered defendants and plaintiffs to be present before it for a dicussion on whether the decision should be stayed until there is a final decision.



A single bench of Justice Baidhyanath Upadhyaya issued the stay order in response to public interest litigation filed by the Democratic Lawyers´ Association. [break]



The lawyers´ organization moved the court, arguing that the recent classification of 140 kinds of information has curtailed the people´s right to information guaranted by the Interim Constitution.



Meanwhile, Chief Secretary Madhav Ghimire said that the Office of Prime Minister and Council of Ministers would immediately send a circular to all the ministries not to implement the new classification of information.



"As per the prime minister´s directive, we will immediately send a directive to not implement the classification of information," Ghimire said during a meeting between Prime Minister Dr Baburam Bhattarai and a delegation of the Federation of Nepalese Journalists (FNJ) at the former´s office at Singha Durbar, Tuesday evening.



Ghimire added that the fresh classification of information was meant to ensure greater transparency in governament activity.



"We want greater transparency," Ghimire said, promising to consult the stakeholders before classifying government information the next time.



During the meeting, Dr Bhattarai said that the government has always placed high priority on the people´s right to information.



The FNJ delegation led by its chairman, Shiva Gaunle, held the meeting as requested by the prime minister, who called Gaunle Tuesday morning to deny any role of politics in the new information classification.



"If implemented, the media will have nothing to print and broadcast," Gaunle told the prime minister during the meeting, adding "So we demand withdrawal of the decision and a structural change in the classification of information that incorporates all the stakeholders."



Meanwhile, the FNJ organized a demonstration in Kathmandu on Tuesday, demanding that the decision on information classification be revoked. Similarly, the Nepal Press Union also organized a separate protest against the new classification of information.

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