The Supreme Court on Sunday issued a show-cause notice to the government asking it to furnish reasons behind barring former child soldier Lenin Bista from flying to Bangkok to attend a function.

A single bench of Justice Ananda Mohan Bhattarai ordered the Home Ministry to answer the SC in writing within 15 days.

On August 24, citing orders from the higher authority, Bista was stopped at the Tribhuvan International Airport before boarding a flight to Thailand, where he was scheduled to attend a five-day event titled “Youth in Conflict Areas: Healing and Peace Building through Social Engagement.”

Claiming that his right to free movement was curtailed, Bista had filed a writ petition at the SC of Friday. Advocate Om Prakash Aryal pleaded on Bista’s behalf.

Bista, who advocates justice for former Maoist child soldiers, termed the travel ban as an attempt to curb his freedom of expression.