Kathmandu.
The government has started the process of pardoning the remaining prison sentence of former parliamentarian Resham Chaudhary, who was convicted in the Tikapur incident. Chowdhury’s petition seeking remission of sentence has reached the President’s Office through the Ministry of Home Affairs. A team including Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal, who reached the President’s office on Wednesday with Chaudhary’s petition, met with President Ramchandra Paudel and discussed the process of pardoning Chaudhary’s sentence on Republic Day in accordance with the Constitution and laws.
After taking the opinion of the President’s Office, the Ministry of Home Affairs will take the proposal of amnesty to the Council of Ministers. The president can decide to grant amnesty on the occasion of Republic Day only after the decision and recommendation of the Council of Ministers.
Civil Liberation Party founded by Choudhary, who was convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment in the violent Tikapur incident in August 2072, in which 7 security personnel and a minor died, is now in government. Shrestha is the Minister of Land Management, Cooperatives and Poverty Alleviation.
Citizen immunity, which has become an important factor in the current power equation, has started the process of amnesty for Chaudhary by bargaining while sitting in the House and in power. The party, which had earlier announced a protest saying that the report of the Red Commission should be made public after Chaudhary was sentenced to life imprisonment, withdrew its protest program after receiving an informal assurance from the government.
Article 276 of the Constitution mentions that the President may pardon, postpone, change or reduce the sentence imposed by any court, judicial or quasi-judicial body or administrative officer or body in accordance with the law.
Similarly, the Civil Criminal Procedure Code Act, 2074 of 159 provides that a person who has been sentenced according to the court’s decision can apply to the President through the Ministry of Home Affairs for pardon, postponement, change or reduction. Based on that arrangement, the government has started the process of pardoning Chaudhary’s sentence.