SC stops former lawmakers from spending budget worth almost Rs 10b

The Supreme Court (SC) has prohibited the former lawmakers from spending the budget under the Electoral Constituency Special Infrastructure Program and Electoral Constituency Development Program.
A joint bench of justices Ishwar Khatiwada and Sahrada Prasad Ghimire hearing the petition filed by newly elected lawmaker from Kailali-2 Jhapat Bahadur Rawal have has issued an interim order on Sunday to that regard.
The Ministry of Federal Affairs and Local Development on December 31 had authorized the former lawmakers to select projects and spend budget. Lawmaker Rawal had moved the Apex Court against the minister-level decision.
“They have become common citizens after the fresh mandate. All 28 million Nepalis should get budget if these common citizens were allowed to spend the budget,” Rawal said after the interim order. “The number of constituencies has also been reduced now to 165 from 240,” he added. I moved the court to stop such extravagance.
The budget allows spending of Rs 30 million in each constituency on recommendation of the lawmaker from the constituency under the Electoral Constituency Special Infrastructure Program. The lawmakers from the previous parliament in this would have got to spend almost Rs 10 billion.