KATHMANDU: The Supreme Court has annulled Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister Rabi Lamichhane’s post of lawmaker today. Lamichhane is also the Chairman of Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP).
The constitutional bench of Supreme Court issued the verdict to this regard after hearing the case on Lamichhane’s acquisition of Nepali citizenship and the US passport.
The bench comprising Acting Chief Justice Harikrishna Karki and Justices Bishwombhar Prasad Shrestha, Ishwor Prasad Khatiwada, Dr Anand Mohan Bhattarai and Anil Kumar Sinha issued the verdict.
Lamichhane was elected a Member of the House of Representatives from constituency no 2 of Chitwan in the November 20 election the country held.
With the SC verdict, by-election is to be held in constituency no 2 of Chitwan.
The verdict read, “After giving up the US citizenship, Lamichhane was not found adhering to the legal process to acquire the Nepali citizenship again. So, he did not deserve to be the candidate of the member of House of Representatives nor could hold the lawmaker’s post.
With this, a certiorari order is issued as per Article 133 (b and c) and Article 137 of Constitution of Nepal by scrapping all activities as making Lamichhane an election candidate, announcing his election victory, and conferring him the certificate.”
Meanwhile, Rabi Lamichhane, who lost the posts of lawmaker and Home Minister after the verdict of the Supreme Court, has said he would welcome SC decision.Responding to queries of media persons while exiting from Home Ministry after SC’s verdict on Friday, Lamichhane shared there was not any higher body than the Supreme Court, so he welcomed the SC’s verdict.
“I welcome the SC’s verdict,” he reiterated, wondering, “In other questions, what can a non-citizen respond.” Lamichhane further said, “You are asking questions to a non-citizen. I don’t know whom the question is being asked.”
Lamichhane lost both posts of minister and lawmaker after the SC determined him guilty in the case of citizenship row.
