New writ against code of conduct

Kathmandu Nov 20-Several NGOs jointly filed a writ petition at the Supreme Court on Sunday demanding an interim order against the implementation of the recently introduced code of conduct that aims at controlling the activities of media.

Eight different NGO umbrella organisations including the NGO Federation Nepal and Dalit NGO Federation filed the case demanding a stay order.

Nine Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) on Sunday filed a writ petition at the Supreme Court (SC) against NGO/ INGO related Code of Conduct recently promulgated by the government, saying the code contradicted current Constitution and international covenants, to which Nepal is a signatory.

The writ has also demanded an interim order for annulment of the code, claiming that it hindered the NGO and INGOs to carry out their activities freely in their respective areas.

The NGOs filing petition include the NGO Federation Nepal, Federation of Dalit NGOs, Women's Security Pressure Group, Federation for Community Forest Commuters, National Human Rights Commission, Social Justice Forum Nepal, Federation for Handicapped and Nepal Federation of Indigenous Nationalities, among others.

The office of the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers, Ministry of Home, Women, Children's Welfare Council and Local Development have all been made defendants in the writ.

On last Thursday also, a writ was filed at the SC against the code of conduct by 10 non-governmental organizations, demanding its immediate annulment.