State 2 govt files writ against federal government

Kathmandu, Aug 2 . The State no. 2 government has filed a writ petition against the federal government for allegedly trying to bring forest development project under its authority in violation of the Constitution. On behalf of the state government, Assistant Soil Conservation Officer at the Ministry of Industry, Tourism, Forest and Environment Bechen Kumar Mahato filed the writ at the apex court on Thursday.

The Office of the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers has been named as a defendant in the writ that argues that protection and management of national forest is constitutionally a jurisdiction of the state government. However, the federal government is working to bring the Sagarnath Forest Development Project under its authority.

Citing a decision of the federal cabinet dated June 6, the writ calls for a certiorari order to annul the decision. “The act of the federal government is against the provision in Article 232 of the Constitution that envisages relations between federation, state and local levels that are based on cooperativeness, coexistence and coordination,” reads the writ.