Rukum (East), February 4
Officials in Rukum (East) have issued a ban on demonstrations following a row between locals over which area gets to be designated at the district’s headquarters.
While residents of Rukumkot want their town to be named the district’s headquarters, those in Golkhada want their town to be chosen. The ban was imposed from Monday morning after tensions escalated in the area on Sunday night.
Chief District Officer Mitra Lal Sharma said that the ban will continue until an order is issued to lift it. He said that members of the public are not allowed to organise protests, rallies or meetings in public until the ban is lifted.
The Sher Bahadur Deuba government had decided to name Golkhada as the district’s headquarters. However, the residents of Rukumkot moved the Supreme Court against the decision. The Supreme Court then issued an interim stay on the government decision to transfer the headquarters to Goldkhada form Rukumkot.
A hearing on the case has been scheduled for February 10. Locals say that rival groups are raising the issue again to influence the court decision.
