A writ petition has been filed in the Supreme Court against the government’s decision to withdraw the cases of those accused of involvement in the Tikapur carnage.

Advocate Kapildev Dhakal, former government secretary Dwarika Nath Dhungel and Jagdish Chandra Baral jointly filed the petition on Sunday, naming the government and the Prime Minister’s Office as the defendants.

They argue that the move is a serious issue of public concern as it questions the principle of rule of law. They said it is a prima facie case of causing an irreparable damage to the rule of law, and judicial supremacy and independence.

The Cabinet on Thursday decided to accept the Tharuhat and Madhes protests as political movements and withdraw all the cases filed against those involved in the Tikapur carnage and the Madhes protest.

Eight police officials and a child were lynched in the run-up to constitution promulgation in 2015.