KATHMANDU, April 15: Acting on a writ petition, the Supreme Court on Tuesday issued show-cause notices to the government authorities to clarify why have the individuals stranded in Kathmandu Valley due to the COVID-19 lockdown been barred from returning to their home districts.

A single bench of justice Bam Kumar Shrestha has given the authorities — the Office of the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers, the Ministry of Home Affairs — 15 days day to furnish written clarifications.

The bench also scheduled a hearing for Thursday to decide whether or not to issue a stay order to the government as demanded by the petitioners, and also summoned the representatives of the authorities.

Senior advocates Prakashmani Sharma and Dinesh Tripathi had jointly filed the petition seeking the apex court intervention to allow hundreds of people to leave the Kathmandu Valley for their homes during the lockdown.

The petitioners have also accused the government of violating the individuals' rights to movement, food and health and sought the apex court's intervention to ensure the rights.

They have also demanded that the stranded individuals be tested for COVID-19 and arrangements be made for their return to the districts.To stem the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic, Nepal has been placed under a lockdown since March 24 and the government on Tuesday extended the lockdown until April 27.

 
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