Kathmandu, February 24
The Supreme Court has issued an interim order in the name of the government to not install a new gold jalahari at the Pashupatinath temple.
Interestingly, just a few hours before the order, President Bidya Devi Bhandari has already inaugurated the new jalahari, the base of the Shiva linga inside the temple.
A single bench of Justice Purushottam Bhandari issued the order in response to a writ petition filed by advocate Nikita Dhungana. The petitioner has claimed that the government’s decision to install the gold jalahari is against the tradition of the temple as well as provisions of the Ancient Monument Preservation Act, 1956.
The bench has also summoned the defendants including the Office of the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers for the next hearing of the case on Monday next week.
