The Patan High Court on Wednesday issued an interim order staying the implementation of Election Commission (EC)’s decision to deploy civil service officers apart from judicial service as the election officers for the local level elections slated for May 14.

A single bench of Justice Balbhadra Bastola issued the order today directing the EC not to move ahead with its decision regarding the appointment of election officials.

Judicial service officers had moved the court against the EC decision arguing that the decision was in violation of the tradition of appointing election officers only if the officers from judicial service were inadequate for election.

The government and Election Commission have been making preparations to conduct the local level elections on May 14.