KATHMANDU, April 24: The suspension of Nepali Congress (NC) lawmaker Tek Bahadur Gurung has been lifted by the Supreme Court (SC).
The Supreme Court (SC) ruled in favor of Gurung, a member of the House of Representatives (HoR), who had filed a writ petition demanding that the suspension be lifted.
The CIAA registered a corruption case against Gurung on February 4, 2019. NC lawmaker Gurung was suspended on December 27, 2022. The Parliament Secretariat suspended Gurung because a bribe case relating to him was sub judice at the Special Court.
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The Federal Parliament Secretariat issued a notice and informed that Gurung was automatically suspended from the position of member of parliament as per the provisions in the Prevention of Corruption Act 2059 until the pending case in the court is resolved.
After the suspension, Gurung filed a writ petition on February 5, 2022. Gurung filed the writ petition stating that the Act contradicted the provisions of the Constitution.
On February 28, 2023, the Special Court convicted Gurung and nine others of corruption in the operation of a fun park located at Bhrikutimandap, Kathmandu. While Gurung was fined, he was not sentenced to jail.
The joint bench of Justices Manoj Kumar Sharma and Binod Sharma of the SC decided to issue the writ on March 29. Issuance of a writ means a decision as requested by the writ petitioner.
The SC also annulled the notification issued by the Parliament Secretariat and the decision made by the CIAA on December 23, 2022.
The Federal Parliament Secretariat Spokesperson Eakram Giri said that the order of the SC is about to be implemented.
Lawmaker Gurung will now get the same service perks and benefits since the commencement of the HoR. Gurung is set to receive other privileges apart from meeting and transport allowances.
