KATHMANDU: The Supreme Court (SC) has issued an interim order preventing the government from publishing the report of the high-level investigation committee formed to examine the sale and purchase of Ncell shares.
A single bench of Justice Bal Krishna Dhakal ordered the government not to implement its decision to release the report related to the sale of 80 percent of Ncell shares and directed that the status quo be maintained.
The order was issued during a preliminary hearing on a writ petition filed by Company Secretary Nishika Sharma on behalf of Ncell Axiata Limited. The court has also asked the government to submit a written response within 15 days.
In its order, the court stated that making the report public could violate the company’s commercial confidentiality and create risks for investors.
The order noted that the report contains details related to the company’s investments, operational methods, and business secrets, and that publication could cause difficulties in the company’s operations.
The court further said that disclosure of the report could affect the right to privacy guaranteed under Article 28 of the Constitution, the Personal Privacy Act 2075, the Income Tax Act 2058, and the Right to Information Act.
On December 7, 2023, the government had formed a committee led by former Auditor General Tanka Mani Sharma Dangal to investigate the Ncell share transaction.
The committee submitted its report to the government on January 29, 2024. After the government recently decided to make the report public, Ncell challenged the decision in the Supreme Court.
