The Supreme Court on Friday issued a show cause notice to government on 21 ambassadorial recommendations.

Responding to a writ petition filed by Rakshya Ram Harijan, a single bench of Acting Chief Justice Sushila Karki has asked the Office of the President Office, Office of the Prime Minister Office and Council of Ministers, Constitutional Council and designated ambassadors to submit clarifications within 15 days why the  recommendations were not inclusive and furnish reasons and the basis of the recommendations.

In his petition filed on Thursday, Harijan had said the decision to recommendation ambassadors for 21 countries “is against the Constitution of Nepal and violates Articles 38 (4), 40 (1), 42 (1) and 282 of the constitution”.

The Cabinet on Tuesday recommended 21 names as envoys for different countries. Eight were chosen from among career diplomats and while 13 were split by three ruling parties.

Though the government decision to recommend envoys was welcomed for it came after quite a long time, the process was equally criticised for its failure to be inclusive while choosing the ambassadors.

Number of political appointees, which is almost double than that of career diplomats,  has also not gone down well with many. As many as six persons were picked from the CPN-UML quota.