According to Minister for Cooperatives and Poverty Alleviation Eknath Dhakal, a cabinet meeting held in Singh Durbar on Thursday took a decision to this effect. [break]
A cabinet meeting held on January 25 had appointed former Supreme Court justice Awadesh Kumar Yadav as PCN chairman for a four-year term.
Advocate Dayaram Humagain and Bishnu Bhakta Khatri on January 30 had moved the SC, arguing that the government decision to appoint Yadav was in contravention of the Interim Constitution.
The petitioners had urged the apex court to annul the government´s decision. They also demanded scrapping of the provision concerning appointment of the PCN chairman in the Press Council Act 1992, arguing that the provision was in contravention of Article 106 (1) of the interim constitution.
Article 106 (1) of the interim constitution states that no incumbent or former chief justice or justice of the Supreme Court shall be engaged in or deputed to any assignment other than that of a judge or chairman of the National Human Rights Commission.
The appointment of Yadav was being criticized by legal experts and journalists because of a ruling issued by him concerning insurgency related cases. Yadav had ruled that the regular judicial system cannot decide cases related to the insurgency.
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