SC rejects Mayor Balen Shah's plea to appoint attorney-in-fact in contempt of court case

Published On: July 12, 2023 01:00 PM NPT By: Republica | @RepublicaNepal

KATHMANDU, July 12: The Supreme Court has rejected the request by Kathmandu Metropolitan City (KMC) Mayor Balen Shah to appoint an attorney-in-fact in a contempt of case registered aganist him.

A Joint Bench of Justices Ishwar Prasad Khatiwada and Hari Phuyal made this decision on Tuesday, leaving Mayor Shah with no choice but to personally appear in court.

The controversy arose when Mayor Shah imposed a ban on the screening of the Indian movie "Adipurush" and other Indian films in theaters within the metropolis. In response, cinema hall owners filed a case against Mayor Shah, challenging his decision.

In an interim order, the Patan High Court ruled that Indian films should not be prohibited from being screened. However, Mayor Shah expressed his disagreement with the court's decision and the government's stance through social media, which led to the filing of a contempt of court case against him. The petition was filed by Advocate Barsha Kumari Jha.