Sarita Giri moves SC against her expulsion

Sarita Giri has moved the Supreme Court (SC) against the decision of Socialist Party Nepal to expel her from the House and party for violating the party whip on the Constitution amendment bill brought to implement the new map.

SC Spokesperson Devendra Dhakal told Setopati that hearing for Giri’s petition that claims she has been unlawfully expelled and seeks its revocation has been set for Wednesday.

Giri argues in the petition that the party acted unpolitically by resorting to publicity without informing her and claims that the decision by just one party when it was already in the process of unification with another is also illegal.

The party had expelled her on July 7. It had already announced unification with Rastriya Janata Party (RJP) and applied with the Election Commission for registration of the new party Janata Samajwadi Party. The Election Commission registered the united party on Thursday.

A meeting of the party’s office-bearers on July 7 had decided to expel Giri from the post of lawmaker and party membership.

The party had formed a task force under General Secretary Ram Sahaya Prasad Yadav to investigate the incident. The task force also including Mohammad Ishtiyaq Rai and Sushila Shrestha had recommended to the party to take action against Giri for violating the party’s whip and instruction on the issue of national importance.

Giri had lodged an amendment proposal against the Constitution amendment bill brought to implement the new map. Giri in her amendment proposal had stated that Nepal does not have sources and evidence to establish that the territory of Limpiyadhura, Kalapani and Lipu Lekh belongs to Nepal.

She had refused to take back the amendment proposal despite the party warning her to take it back or face action. The amendment proposal was later rejected by Speaker Agni Sapkota citing clauses 112(b and c) House of Representatives (HoR) regulations.

She had also left the House before voting on the bill violating the party whip to vote in support of the government’s bill.