SC Issues Show Cause Notice to PM Dahal and Ex-PM Bhattarai on Child Soldier Allegations

The Supreme Court of Nepal has taken a significant step in the ongoing legal battle concerning the alleged use of child soldiers during the Maoist insurgency. A writ petition has been filed against Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal and CPN (Maoist Center) Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal, accusing them of employing child soldiers during the conflict.

Justice Sapana Pradhan Malla, presiding over a single bench, issued a show cause notice in response to the petition. The court has also instructed that this case be given priority in the judicial proceedings.

The writ application was filed by Lenin Bista, Krishna Prasad Dangal, and others who were disqualified by the United Nations during the verification process for Maoist combatants. They claim to have been utilized as child soldiers during the insurgency. Bista currently serves as the chairman of Discharged People’s Liberation Army Nepal, while Dangal is its founder.

In addition to Prime Minister Dahal and former Prime Minister Bhattarai, the defendants named in the writ petition include the Ministry of Home Affairs, Ministry of Defense, Ministry of Women, Children, and Senior Citizens, as well as the National Human Rights Commission, among others.

The petitioners assert that they have not received justice even after more than 16 years since the signing of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement. They are demanding recognition as former child soldiers and are seeking compensation for their experiences.