Showcause issued to Nepal Bar Assn

The head of Nepal’s top lawyers’ body was issued a show cause notice on Wednesday for holding a demonstration inside a restricted area in the Capital, and demanding dissolution of the ‘unconstitutional’ government installed by King Gyanendra and restoration of civil rights.

Seeking explanation for the rally in Ratnapark on Saturday, which defied the ban, Kathmandu district administration office asked Sambhu Thapa, president of Nepal Bar Association to furnish his statement within three days.

• Meanwhile, Nepal’s Supreme Court (SC) overturned the royal government’s order to close a communication centre supplying programmes to radio stations, as the Ministry for Information and Communications said operations of ‘Communication Corner’ were illegal.

• Nepalese Communist Party leader Ishwor Pokhrel, a former minister, was released today, over four months after his arrest. A party official said he was released on the SC’s order. —Agencies