9 June 2020, Kathmandu
The Supreme Court on Sunday ordered the government not to arrest legal practitioners even during the lockdown.
A joint bench of Justices Vishwambhar Prasad Shrestha and Dr. Manoj Kumar Sharma’s stated that it was been mentioned in the constitution of Nepal everyone has the right to get legal advice and has ordered not to arrest the person who is going to provide such service even in case of the lockdown.
Advocate Chiranjeevi Dhakal was arrested from Maitighar in Kathmandu on Wednesday while he was on his way to court.
Advocate Kantiram Dhungana had filed a writ petition on his behalf stating that he was arrested while going to court in connection with the case.
Dhakal was released on Sunday in the presence of the Supreme Court’s registrar as ordered by the court.
The apex court has ordered that the legal practitioners should continue to provide necessary legal services even during the time of lockdown.
“Article 20 (2) of the Constitution mentions that any person who is arrested shall have the right to consult a legal practitioner of his or her choice from the time of such arrest and to be defended by such legal practitioner,” reads the court’s order.
