Supreme Court (SC) has issued an injunction order, prohibiting the closure of roads under the pretext of VIP motorcades.

The mandate came from a joint bench of Justices Manoj Kumar Sharma and Mahesh Sharma Poudel on Tuesday.

The decision follows a writ petition filed by Advocate Dyaneshwar Koirala on February 2, 2018, highlighting the hardships faced by ordinary citizens due to VIP motorcades. The petition, directed at the Prime Minister’s Office, the Ministry of Home Affairs, and the Nepal Police, underscored the inconvenience caused to the public during official ceremonies, particularly when the President and Vice President travel.

Initially, on February 6, 2018, the SC issued a show cause order, directing the defendants to submit a written response within 15 days. However, Koirala claimed that the Nepal Police failed to provide a written reply, prompting further scrutiny by the court.

The writ petitioner argued that the closure of roads during VIP movements infringed upon the fundamental rights of individuals, emphasizing the need to safeguard public freedoms as enshrined in the constitution.