KATHMANDU, July 15: The Supreme Court (SC) has dismissed a writ petition filed six years ago concerning the alleged encroachment of Nepal’s border.
The petitioners had demanded a separate legal framework along with diplomatic efforts to address the border encroachment issue. A division bench of Justices Sapana Pradhan Malla and Bal Krishna Dhakal had scheduled Monday for the verdict announcement.
Writ petition filed against Rabi Lamichhane
The SC delivered its decision by dismissing the writs, though the full written verdict has not yet been issued. The petitioners had called for international documentation of Nepal's territory, which spans 147,181 square kilometers.
The writ had requested the court to issue a mandamus order directing the government to take necessary diplomatic initiatives and enact policies, regulations, and instructions to safeguard national interests, arguing that Nepal’s territory was being carelessly encroached upon.
Advocates Kanchan Krishna Neupane, Gyanendra Raj Aran, and Assistant Professor Phanindra Nepal, among others, had filed separate writ petitions starting on November 13, 2019, making the Office of the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers, the Department of Survey, and the Ministry of Federal Affairs and General Administration, among others, defendants.
On May 20, the government issued a new political map of Nepal, including Limpiyadhura, Lipulekh, and Kalapani, following a constitutional amendment.
