The Supreme Court on Friday quashed a writ filed against the government’s decision to send the Army to riot-affected Kailali, Rautahat and Sarlahi districts.

A single bench of Chief Justice Kalyan Shrestha quashed the petition filed by Advocates Roshan Kumar Jha and Yam Kumar Yonjan citing that it was immature.

“Things will become clear once a detailed order comes out. There was no substantive evidence to prove that the decision to move the Army was unconstitutional,” said court spokesperson Nahakul Subedi.

The bench said the writ had failed to garner substantive evidences to establish that the Army positioning was unconstitutional. “The writ was more focused on news reports than on establishing facts,” said Subedi.

The government has defended the move saying that the role of Nepal Army is to assist other security agencies in coordination with the chief district officer which should not be construed as Army mobilisation.

Meanwhile, the Home Ministry defended the use of military to contain protests against proposed state delineation in the Tarai districts, arguing that the Local Administration Act of 1971 has the provision whereby a chief district officer) could take the help of Nepal Army in such cases.

Issuing a statement on Friday, the ministry justified the government’s decision to position NA soldiers in some of the riot-affected districts, claiming that the protesters were taking to violent activities like vandalism and arson, even murder of security personnel.