KATHMANDU, April 1: A writ petition has been filed at the Supreme Court on Wednesday seeking its directive on the government to repatriate more than 700 Nepali nationals who have been languishing  at Dharchula on the Indian side of border following the lockdown enforced by the government to curb the spread of COVID-19.

Six lawyers including advocate Manish Kumar Shrestha filed the petition demanding the order by the apex court on the government to evacuate the Nepalis who have been waiting to enter Nepal from the western border with India. “Stranded Nepalis beyond the Mahakali River should be brought to Darchula, Nepal at the earliest,” reads the writ petition.

“According to Article 5 of Nepal’s Constitution, it shall be the government’s responsibility to safeguard people’s rights and welfare. Therefore, the government should make necessary arrangements either for quarantine or isolation after repatriating them in homeland.”

They also claimed that the act of restricting people to enter Nepal is the violation of the right against exile as enshrined in the constitution.

 
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