SC Refuses to Issue Stay Order in Nepal 1 Case

The Supreme Court said on Wednesday there was no need to issue a stay order to stop broadcasting of Nepal 1 television.

Following Wednesday's hearing, a division bench of Justices Min Bahadur Rayamajhi and Pawan Kumar Ojha issued the order. "Since the petitioner could not show any ground of facing irreparable loss if the stay order was not issued, there is no need to issue the stay order," the bench said.

During the hearing advocate Birendra Kumar Thakur argued that the journalists associated with the television channel have been collecting and broadcasting news and programme after getting press pass from the government, so it is not illegal to collect and broadcast news. He also claimed that issuing a stay order would not be justifiable to stop the broadcasting.

The lawyer of the channel also showed the decision of the managing committee that stated that the television channel is registered with Indian authorities in the name of TV Live India Pvt Ltd.
Pleading on behalf of the writ petitioner, advocate Naina Binod Neupane and writ petitioner Bhupendra Prasad Pokhrel had sought the SC's order to stop the broadcasting. They have claimed that the television channel is operating here without getting licence from any government authority in Nepal.