Addressing the parliamentary session on Friday, the lawmakers said that the presidential pardon to Pandey has further tarnished Nepal's dubious reputation of being one of the most corrupt naitons.

They claimed that it is a matter of shame and that the government should clarify its action. UML Lawmaker Krishna Kumar Rai demanded the government apologise for the mistake.   

On the recommendation of Cabinet, President Ram Baran Yadav had pardoned the remaining fine and jail term of Pandey along with 20 other individuals. In June 1982, Patan Court had sentenced Pandey to jail for three years with a fine of Rs 5,000 after finding him guilty of financial irregularities while working as accountant at the state-owned Water Supply Cooperation.

On March 17 of this year, the Supreme Court ruled that he should serve more than a year of the remaining jail term after turning down his plea not to arrest him for the already “settled corruption case”. Pandey was arrested in the same day.

Earlier on Thursday, the Supreme Court had asked the government and the President's Office to furnish written clarification over the presidential pardon granted to former president of the FNCCI Pradeep Jung Pandey.

A single bench of Justice Govinda Kumar Upadhyaya also ordered the court administration to give priority to the petition challenging the government's decision to pardon Pandey.