Supreme Court orders NOC to stop elective general assembly

Kathmandu, September 3

The Supreme Court today issued an interim order to stop the elective general assembly on Nepal Olympic Committee, slated for September 6.

Reacting to the writ petition filed by the SC-reinstated NOC executive committee member Kamal Bahadur Chitrakar, justice Tanka Bahadur Moktan issued the order and asked both the parties to be present before the court on September 8, two days after the scheduled elections.

The NOC has already finalised the election procedures and a total of 26 General Assembly representatives have filed their candidacy for 19 positions.

Sitting President Jeevan Ram Shrestha and Umesh Lal Pradhan are facing each other for the second time for the top position, while Nilendra Raj

Shrestha and Purendra Bikram Lakhe are set to fight for the post of Secretary General.

Treasurer Ratan Tandan and Deputy Secretary General Pitamber Timsina have been elected unopposed, while eight representatives will fight for the post of five vice-presidents.

Likewise, four candidates are in the race for three secretaries, while eight representatives have filed nominations for seven members.

In its order, the Supreme Court has asked two defendants — NOC President Jeevan Ram Shrestha and National Sports Council — to submit their written explanation through their legal representatives, and three others — Youth and Sports Ministry and District Administrative Office of Lalitpur and Kathmandu — via Attorney General’s office within 15 days.

In his writ petition, Chitrakar — member of the Rukma Shumsher Rana-led NOC during 1997-98 — has claimed that the current President Jeevan Ram Shrestha was not the authentic one and that he had no right to invite national associations to take part in elective general assembly.

Rana and his team have been fighting for their existence after the 2007 elective general assembly which elected Dhruba Bahadur Pradhan as the president.

A couple of officials moved the court after facing defeats in that elections and the Supreme Court reinstated the Rana-led NOC which was registered at District Administration Office in Kathmandu. Pradhan retired after serving the NOC for two terms and Shrestha took over the body in 2015. Recently, the two parties reached an agreement and the NOC also amended its statute to incorporate the agitators in its bid to end the long-standing controversy once and for all.

NOC President Shrestha said he was not aware about the Supreme Court order. “I am not in a position to give any reaction on this as I have not received any letter from any authority,” said Shrestha. “The election schedules will move forward as planned unless we get any letter from the court.”

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