Feb 26, Kathmandu- The High Court, Patan has passed an interim order not to vacate the Lalita Niwasarea in Baluwatar. A single bench of High Court Judge Purushottam Prasad Dhakal passed the interim order on Monday. After the special court decided to make the land of Lalita Niwas official, the Kathmandu Metropolitan City started the process of vacating it. The metropolis issued a notice on February 9 and asked them to vacate within seven days.

The Non-Resident Nepali Association (NRNA) filed a writ in the High Court on Falgun 13 against this decision. In the writ, an interim order was sought in the name of the metropolis.

Along with this, the High Court has also issued a show cause order. If there is any reason why the order should not be issued as per the demand of the writ petitioner, it has been asked to submit a written reply.

On Falgun 3, the special court decided the case of embezzlement of government land of Lalita Niwas. A joint bench of Justices Khusiram Tharu, Ram Bahadur Thapa and Ritendra Thapa delivered the verdict after 23 consecutive days of hearing.

In this, 60 people including Deep Basnyat, the former chief commissioner of the Commission for Investigation of Abuse of Authority, Chabiraj Pant, the former secretary of the Ministry of Land Reforms, Meen Bahadur Gurung, the owner of Bhatbhateni Supermarket, have been found guilty. Similarly, ex-ministers Bijay Kumar Gachchdar and Dambar Bahadur Shrestha have been acquitted. It has been determined that the land will be confiscated.

Based on this decision, the Kathmandu Metropolitan City issued a notification. The High Court has stopped it.