SC questions decision to provide facilities to ex-king

The Supreme Court (SC) on Sunday issued show cause notice to the government regarding the decision of giving a place of residence, security including other facilities to ex-king Gyanendra and his family.

A single bench of Justice Ram Prasad Shrestha took up the public interest litigation and ordered the government to submit in writing the reason behind the decision to give residential facility including security to the former royals within 15 days.

The SC order came in response to the writ petition filed against the cabinet decision to give the Nagarjuna 'Palace' to ex-king Gyanendra and residential buildings inside the Narayanhiti Palace premises to the former queen mother and also provide security personnel for them.

Although ex-king Gyanendra, his wife Komal, son Paras, daughter-in-law Himani and his mother Ratna were also made defendants along with the government, the SC didn't issue the notice to them saying that it was not necessary.

Meanwhile, the government committee, which submitted its inventory of properties inside the Narayanhiti Palace on Friday, has said in its leaked report that it has reservations regarding the record of the properties that it received from ex-king Gyanendra and his officials and said it was not satisfied with it.

The committee is learnt to have reached the conclusion after it could not get the details of all the properties inside the palace. In its report, the committee has mentioned the list of the items that it was not provided with by the palace. nepalnews.com ag June 23 08