The government will begin reviewing past verdicts of the Supreme Court before granting amnesty to people arrested on various charges during the Tarai movement.

In a three-point agreement forged with the agitating Madhesh-based parties, the government had agreed to grant amnesty to the arrestees.

Addressing a press meet on Saturday, Home Minister Bimalendra Nidhi said 160 cases have been filed against 374 people on various charges.

“There are many hurdles and past verdicts that do not allow amnesty just through a Cabinet decision,” said Nidhi, who is also officiating Prime Minister. “Hence we will soon review them and clear the hurdles. All of these tasks will be completed by mid-October.”

The government is committed to addressing the demands of the agitating Madhesi parties, Nidhi said. The Cabinet had declared 52 persons as martyrs and handed out Rs52 million in compensation to their kin.

“Those injured in the Madhes protest have been provided free medical treatment. We’ve started reimbursing to those who have paid for their treatment,” he added. “For people who lost the bills or were treated in India, we have reimbursed the money based on the documents they could furnish.”

A commission has been formed to investigate into excessive use of force and “extra judicial killing” during the Madhesh movement, he informed the media. The government has assigned a commission under former Supreme Court Justice Girish Chandra Lal to submit an evidential report on the use of force both by the security force and the protesters. While the government puts the toll of the Tarai protest at 52, the Madhesi parties claim more than 68 people were killed.