4 years ago
The Supreme Court has ordered the government to make public the cost of controlling the corona virus in a transparent manner.
A joint bench of Ananda Mohan Bhattarai and Hari Prasad Phunyal also ordered to make public the expenditure incurred in the distribution of relief. Even though the order was given on Friday, the full text is yet to come.
Lawyer Kirtinath Sharma Poudel and other legal practitioners had filed a writ petition in the Supreme Court alleging that the government's expenditure on coronavirus control was not transparent.
In the writ petition, it was mentioned that the concerned government body hid the information when it went to ask for the exact details contrary to the right to information in the constitution and law.
Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli had said a month and a half ago that the government had so far spent Rs 10 billion to control the coronavirus. A few days later, the health minister said that about Rs 8.40 billion had been spent so far.
There was an agitation in the streets demanding transparency of the expenditure statement submitted by the responsible person of the government. Similarly, it was protested that Rs. 800 million was spent within a few days of the distribution of relief.
Advocates Vikas Bhattarai, Anantraj Luintel, Kirtinath Sharma, Amita Gautam Poudel and Pratibha Upreti also argued on behalf of the writ petitioner.
The Supreme Court has stated that the work to be done from the state treasury is of public importance and there should be transparency in it. Article 27 of the Constitution of Nepal states that every citizen has the right to seek and receive information on any matter of his or her public interest.
In the writ petition, it was also stated that good governance should be maintained in the country.
