A writ petition has been filed against the government doling Rs 200,000 out to each disqualified discharged soldier of the People Liberation Army, an arm wing of the former rebel party,demanding annulment of the decision.

A total of 131 conflict victims, who suffered at the hands of the state and the rebel party, lodged the petition at the Supreme Court on Monday arguing that the decision was in a clear breach of the apex court’s earlier verdict. In 2011, the SC had scrapped the decision taken by then Baburam Bhattarai-led government. Besides, the law prohibits the government from spending the state fund in the areas other than public importance.

“To dole the state fund out to a group of people associated with a particular party is illegal as well as against the SC verdict,” said Gyanendra Aran, advocate and one of the petitioners. “Instead of implementing the SC order, the government brought up the issue which was settled long ago.”

The petitioners have argued that the former rebel party should compensate the damage claimed by the discharged soldier instead of paying them from the state coffers. “2,975 of the 4,008 discharged soldiers were children. And the party should be accountable for depriving them of childhood and career,” he said.

The child solders were discharged with a paltry sum of Rs 22,000 during the integration process. Now in their 20s with no education and career prospect, most of them have no other avenues but to fall back on the state for living.

Petitioners have argued that the government should instead implement the court order to provide conflict victims with compensation. Ten years after the war ended, conflict victims have not received the government announced amount as compensation.

The Rs 1 million compensation amount announced to provide to each of the victims’ families included shares worth half a million of Upper Tamakoshi Project. Only a selected few have received the cash so far let alone the share.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal has assured the kin of such soldiers of releasing the amount soon. Speaking at a programme to mark the 13th anniversary of the Doramba incident, Dahal said that his government has prioritised the issues of the conflict victims. But he remained tight-lipped on justice and healing of the conflict wound.

“Doramba incident was cowardice of the former royal army but our bravery and moral victory,” he said. “Releasing a lump sum of half a million rupees to the conflict victims is one of the first decisions taken by my Cabinet since I took office.”

On August 17, 2003, 19 people were summarily executed by the then Royal Nepal Army at Doramba in Ramechhap while talks were going on between the then rebel Maoists and the government at Hapure in Dang.