Supreme Court issues interim order to not halt Bisket jatra

BHAKTAPUR: The Supreme Court has issued an interim order to not halt the celebration of Bisket jatra, a cultural festival marked for nine days every New year in the district.

Earlier, the meeting of the district level Covid-19 crisis management centre had decided to limit the celebration to only formal activity as puja, thereby avoiding gathering in view of the growing threat of coronavirus spread.

The meeting attended by Chief District Officer and centre coordinator Prem Prasad Bhattarai, and chiefs of District Coordination Committee, Nepal Army, Nepal Police, Armed Police Force, National Investigation Department, Guthi Sansthan, and District Health Office.

However, advocate Raj Kumar Suwal had filed a writ petition at Supreme Court demanding the celebration of Bisket jatra as usual.

A single bench of Justice Purushottam Bhandari issued the interim order in the name of concerned authority not to ban the celebration of the annual festival.