The suspension imposed on Member of Parliament of Nepali Congress, Tek Bahadur Gurung, has been lifted.
The Supreme Court of Nepal on Friday removed the suspension of MP Gurung stating that the provision that allows an individual to contest elections cannot bar him/her from carrying out duties and responsibilities as an MP. Such kind of provision is contradictory in itself.
A joint bench of Justices Manoj Kumar Sharma and Binod Sharma issued a verdict in favor of MP Gurung arguing that there is no provision of suspension in the Constitution and the Rule of the House of Representatives, 2079.
The Special Court had convicted Gurung in irregularities while leasing out the land to Funpark, a children’s amusement park at Bhrikutimandap.
On February 4, 2019, the CIAA filed a graft case against Gurung in the Special Court.
According to a provision laid down in the Corruption Prevention Act, 2002, if a graft case is lodged against any individual holding a public post, they are automatically suspended. Gurung had been suspended, accordingly.
On December 22, 2023, the anti-graft body had written a letter to the Federal Parliament Secretariat directing the latter to implement the provision.
On February 28, 2023, the joint bench of Special Court Chairman Shrikanta Paudel and Judges Shaligram Koirala and Balabhadra Bastola convicted him in regularities while leasing out the land to Fun Park, a children’s amusement park at Bhrikutimandap.
Then Minister for Women, Children and Social Welfare, Badri Prasad Neupane, had decided to lease out 60 ropanis of land of Bhrikutimandap to Kathmandu Fun Park for 10 years at a monthly rent of Rs 555,000. Gurung was the operator of Fun Park during that period.
The Federal Parliament Secretariat on December 27, 2022 suspended Gurung over a corruption case. Gurung had been elected to the House of Representatives from Manang on November 20.
