FNCCI to go ahead with strike plan despite court order

The meeting of the National Agitation Committee of the Federation of Nepalese Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FNCCI) held late Monday evening decided to go ahead with their 'business shutdown' plan despite court order declaring it as illegal.

Talking to reporters on Monday night, FNCCI president Chandi Raj Dhakal said that they were compelled to go ahead with shutdown plan because the government did not provide "written commitment" to fulfill their demands. The FNCCI delegation had met with the Prime Minister and ministers on Monday morning where ministers supposedly had given verbal assurances about fulfilling their demands.

Dhakal added that the FNCCI had not yet received the copy of interim order by the Patan Appellate Court. He also said that the strike would be voluntary and peaceful and would not be against the interest of consumers.

The court had decided that the shutdown was illegal as it was against the Consumer Protection Act and Essential Services Act. Responding to a petition by Jyoti Baniya, general secretary of the Consumers Forum, the single bench of judge Laxman Mani Risal had ordered to stop the strike. Baniya later said that if the FNCCI goes ahead with strike plan breaching court order, the leadership will have to face contempt of court action