The Supreme Court has stayed Energy Minister Janardan Sharma’s decision to sack three board members of Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA).

A single bench of SC Justice Prakash Man Singh Raut on Wednesday issued a show-cause notice to Minister Sharma asking why the NEA board members were sacked. The apex bench has also issued an interim order directing the concerned body not to take immediate action against the NEA board members.

Minister Sharma had on December 18 sacked three NEA board members—Manoj Kumar Mishra, Laxman Prasad Agrawal and Suraj Lamichhane—for their non-cooperation to NEA Managing Director Kulman Ghising in his bid to bring reforms.

Sharma had appointed three members to NEA board on the same day after sacking their trio.

The dismissed members had moved the apex court on Tuesday challenging the decision to sack them from NEA board.

Ghising has been credited for getting rid of hours-long power cuts from the Kathmandu Valley.

The NEA board members were sacked after the written clarifications furnished by them were found to be unsatisfactory, said deputy spokesperson at the Ministry, Gokarna Raj Pant.