KATHMANDU, July 6: Challenging the government ban on protests at various places in the capital, a writ petition was filed at the Supreme Court on Thursday.

Petitioner senior advocate Dinesh Tripathi has named the Office of the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers, the Ministry of Home Affairs and the District Administration Office as defendants. The court is scheduled to hear the petition on Friday.

The petitioner has asked the apex court to suspend the ban, which was issued by the cabinet on April 15. The government has banned staging of protests and demonstrations at various places of the capital including Maitighar Mandala, which is being used for organizing protests for the past several years.

The ban order was issued by Chief District Officer Kedar Nath Sharma invoking Section 6(3) of Local Administration Act, 1972 on the basis of the recommendation of the District Security Committee in February.

The government has banned protests in front of Shivapuri School; Kanti Child Hospital; Police Hospital; residential area of the prime minister, speaker and chief justice, Gairidhara; in front of parliament building, New Baneshwar area, Singha Durbar area; Bhadrakali area; Tinkune, Singh Durbar gate area, Padmodaya School area; Singha Durbar main gate, Maitighar mandala area and the residential area of the vice president.

 
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